


Song of the Dragon

by armistyx



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Warriors
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Strangers to Lovers, Volga is a siren....... yes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-11
Updated: 2020-11-03
Packaged: 2021-03-02 18:42:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 24,297
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24121531
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/armistyx/pseuds/armistyx
Summary: For all of his life, Volga had only ever eaten people he entranced with his song. It isn't until he finds Link in the caves that he realizes that he could be something more than just food.
Relationships: Link/Volga (Legend of Zelda)
Comments: 14
Kudos: 42





	1. Song of the Dragon

**Author's Note:**

> boy do we love some dragon sirens!!!!! props to liz for being supportive as usual and helping me build this story ♥
> 
> song is based on a cover of laruto's lament, which is still pretty darn good

It wasn’t supposed to be like this.

The word of the usually docile lizard tribes rampaging across the villages near the base of the mountain spread like wildfire, which is how Link found himself within the darkest caverns of Eldin Caves. He was appointed by the princess herself to find the cause of why the Lizalfos and Dinolfos were terrorizing the villages on the borders of Hyrule; they were practically defenseless against the onslaught from the reptiles, and losing their allegiance was not an option. Going off the rumors and stories he had heard from the townspeople affected by the attacks – and even members of his own army who have had prior experiences – it seemed like his chance to prove himself to the army of earning not only the title “Captain”, but  _ “Hero” _ .

He didn’t quite feel like a hero right at this moment. Something was off.

_ “They’re scary, but the lizards are nothing compared to their largest and in charge, the red one!” _

_ “With a single roar, the red dragon could cause a landslide – no – an earthquake! It can shake the whole mountain!” _

_ “What if it wakes the dormant volcano of Death Mountain? What happens to the village then?” _

Link wiped the sweat off his brow with the back of his hand as he reminded himself there was a good reason to brave the heat. It wasn’t just hot in the caves – it was  _ boiling _ . The hero realized he wasn’t as well equipped to venture into the caves as he believed he was. Sadly he had left his companion fairy (and his only voice of reason) back at camp. Proxi wouldn’t have fared any better than he was right now.

Luckily for him, there weren’t as many of the lizard foes straggling about inside the caves as he had imagined compared to the few he had seen at the entrance. Or was it that he had  _ missed _ them? The first few were probably there to prevent intruders, seeing as no one (except a hero) would be foolish to enter the caves. The entry opened into several tunnels, which seemed to open like a hellish labyrinth. He couldn’t really be lost already, right?

_ “The caves are mostly undocumented, as no one has returned to accurately map out their paths for the scholarly archives,” Impa warned him. The princess laid a hand on his shoulder in support, a small smile pulling at the end of her lips. “You will be going in blind, but with the blessings of the goddesses at your disposal, we believe you can bring peace to the villages below.” _

_ Some blessings, _ he thought to himself as he made another turn around from a long corridor. He had silently prayed he had made some sort of progress for heading deeper into the caverns and away from the heat, but he was only met with the same pools of lava he had seen before countless times. He paled as the unforgiving heat radiating from it only confirmed his worst fears – he was  _ definitely _ , and thoroughly, lost.

The Hylian was sure the scream that bubbled in his throat would have rivaled the supposed dragon’s if he had the strength to let it escape from his lips. He kicked the earth underneath his boots in a fit of frustration before lowering himself into a crouch, pulling his knees to his chest. It was a futile task with all of his luck turned against him. Without so much as a decent map or an indicator of how much time has passed, Link wasn’t sure how long he had been battling against the heat; all he knows is that it was slowly starting to break him. Even another dead end would have been better than staring at the endless pit in front of him.

The bubbling magma seemed to taunt him while he pulled the sticky scarf from around his neck. It was only a few meters away, but temperature was unrelenting and making the tunic he wore slowly stick to him uncomfortably like a new layer of skin. He squeezed his eyes shut to prevent the beads of sweat trickling down his brow from blurring his vision as he dug his fingers into his hair. This wasn’t the time to panic. Leaders, captains,  _ heroes _ don’t panic! He urged himself to breathe slowly; inhale through the nose, exhale through the mouth in an attempt to calm himself. 

_ The goddesses are on my side, _ he reminded himself quietly, flexing the fingers on his left hand.  _ They aren’t cruel enough to let me die in a cave. They chose me! They’ve given me this chance to save others for the greater good. I just need a sign! _

**æ d ɪ d ə m**

**æ d ɪ n f ɪ n ɪ t ə m**

The goddesses must have heard the captain’s prayer. As if on cue, a low sound ripped through the silence of the bubbling rivers of lava. Link stilled to listen closely while the sound reverberated off the walls. It sent a shiver up his spine.

_ “As I’ve heard it from generations past, there’s a dragon that lives in the Caves of Eldin that possesses the tongue of man. It still roars like a beast, but capable of speech, and even song!” The soldiers laughed at their fellow knight. Another soldier joined in. "I remember this! I heard that it lures those who get lost in the caves to their deaths with its song.“ He nodded in agreement with the knight while the others’ laughter became silent. "It’s got to be a cunning predator to lure even the bravest of men with a false sense of security. If the lizards don’t get you, it will!” _

The goddesses are surely playing a sick joke on him. Link’s blood ran cold as his ears strained to listen for the sound as it had gone silent again. This couldn’t be the dragon that he had heard many fables about, could it? He could only hear the sound of his heart thrumming in his ears as he tried to convince himself that it wasn’t the same dragon. With the little knowledge he did have of them, Link was sure they weren’t very fond of sharing the same territory together, much less a labyrinth of caves.

**æ d ɪ n f ɪ n ɪ t ə m**

**ɪ n m e m ɔ: r ɪə m**

After finally taking a minute to collect himself (when was he holding his breath?), Link willed himself to bring himself to stand despite his limbs protesting, fighting him to stay frozen in place. He had asked for a sign; this was no doubt his only chance of getting closer to finding out why the villages were being targeted. He swallowed thickly as he trudged back along one of the tunnels leading out of the central chamber. The adrenaline was running coldly in his veins, but the back of his left hand burned as he ran his fingers over the walls of rock. 

**k ʌ n ʌ m**

The heat slowly was starting to melt away as the scenery changed around him; sheets of bright red rock slowly turned cool to the touch, colored obsidian. Stalagmites turned to stalactites, hanging low from the ceiling and nearly grazing the top of his head. It had gotten a lot darker he soon realized he wasn’t staring at searing lava. Instead, the soft luminous glow of blue crystal formations provided him with an odd sense of comfort. The cavern was at least a tolerable temperature now, but his hand still burned with an intensity that kept pushing him forward. 

**v aɪ i: t ɑ: m ɪ s**

The song was becoming less of an echo and more of a clearer sound. It was chilling to the bone with the ghostly whispers filling his ears. He would have believed there were many voices than just one if he were none the wiser. The haunting notes rivaled the beautiful sound.

Link paused as the ominous tune came to another stop. The tunnel looked to open into another large cavern of crystals that shone brighter than the ones pressed against his back. The Hylian listened closely for any sort of sound. He was only gifted with a few seconds of peace before the screech of sharpened metal scraped against the earth. The Triforce began to burn through the leather of his gauntlet as Link quickly rounded the corner, drawing his blade to take down the beast.

Another pause.

This was no beast. It was a  _ man _ . No other ordinary human could have survived the heat for this long, he mused. His brows knit together in concern as he kept the blade drawn and pointed at the stranger, whose back was turned to him. 

**v eɪ l**

A low chuckled filled the room as the Hylian faltered a bit as realization struck through him. The man turned, pike in hand, and stared him down from underneath the brim of his helmet. He grinned with too many pointed teeth.

“Have you come to strike me down, boy?”


	2. Song of the Mountain

Volga had only ever eaten the people that were foolish enough to fall prey to his voice. The disorientation of the blazing heat combined with panic of being lost in a literal hellhole made it all too easy to capture wandering travelers. Needless to say he had built a reputation for it and anyone with a lick of common sense would know to stay away from within the caves if they had managed to sneak past his kin – but that still didn’t stop those who were brave or just plain stupid.

This boy was not stupid. Not at first glance anyway.

The dragon knight took three long strides toward the green clad hero, blatantly ignoring the tip of the sword pointed right at him. Despite the look on his intruder’s face, Volga could see that the white blade was shaking in his hold. He pulled Link closer to him by the base of the blade with a clawed gauntlet, nonplussed by the fact that he allowed himself to be pulled in with him. A gasp left the hero’s lips as he lost his footing for a second before he was unceremoniously knocked onto his back with a heavy kick, now left unarmed with his blade tossed to the side and out of reach. 

Volga towered over the boy as he scrambled to pull his shield over himself. He dropped an armored foot on the center of the polished steel, effectively pinning him into place. Link hissed at the immense pressure put on his arm and midsection, silenced by the tip of his spear pointed between his eyes. The heat had seeped back into him as he began to sweat bullets in fear for his life, being taken down so easily and under the dragon’s scrutinizing gaze. He could hear how his breathing had quickened as he looked between Volga’s unreadable features and the end of the spear.

Another startled gasp was ripped out of his throat when Volga’s claws caught his chin, armor sizzling hot against his skin. He squeezed his eyes shut half expecting the victor to crush his jaw or mercilessly kill him. That’s what dragons do, right? Even with his eyes shut, he could feel Volga’s stare boring right into the center of his soul. He laid stiff in his hold as his head was turned from one cheek to the other.

“You are truly the hero reborn,” Volga purred when the boy finally opened his eyes. Clawed fingers slipped underneath Link’s lips, prying his mouth open with protest. "With no bite, and even  _ less _ teeth it seems,“ he chuckled as he pulled his fingers away, ignoring the coughing that followed. "You are foolish to think that you could have taken me down without so much as anything to shield you from this heat, boy. You have not listened to the fables well enough.”

Link took a deep breath of relief as he was freed from under the weight of Volga’s foot and spearhead no longer pointed in his direction. The sound of the other’s footsteps retreating gave him the moment he needed to collect himself. His lungs burned with strain and the back of his head met with the ground, cap tossed and forgotten. A million questions were running through his mind: Why was he spared? Why didn’t the dragon kill him when he had easily taken his chance? Why,  _ goddesses _ , why didn’t he bring anything to protect him from fire? He was coming after a dragon for goodness sake! The goddesses were cruel for giving him this so-called blessing – were they testing him?

He barely could sit up before a piece of heavy fabric hit him in the face. He pulled it down and held it out at arm’s length with an incredulous expression. Volga snorted as he came back into Link’s line of sight. "If you have half the brain I expected the hero reborn to have, I would suggest you put it on. It will keep you safe from the fires,“ he said flatly, mirroring the scowl that Link was giving him. "I dare not fight against someone who is ill-equipped; I have a code of honor that I choose to live by, whether you so choose to believe it or not.”

So that’s why. Link held his stare at the dragon for a minute longer before he slowly nodded his head in thanks, looking back down at the tunic he was given; ruby in color and very similar to his own. Volga took a seat to study the hero in silence, watching him as he stood up and worked in shrugging off the shoulder guard and scarf to peel off the green tunic from his body. How he managed to survive this long in the Eldin Caves with little to no protection from its severe temperatures was admirable, but still foolish as he eyed the stains of sweat underneath the layer of chain mail.

“Why is it that you have come to challenge me, boy?” he asked, rising to pick up the abandoned blade. He rolled the hilt in his claws, seemingly unimpressed. "You are ill-equipped, inexperienced, dehydrated, and armed with nothing but a poor excuse of a sword. This is a step-up from a simple soldier’s sword, but a pitiful sword nonetheless. What did you expect to achieve?“

Link threw him a cold glare in response as his fingers smoothed out the red tunic. He brought his hands up to begin signing. 

_ I’ve been sent by the princess to investigate your intentions. What are your underlings doing attacking the villages below the mountain? Your ‘code’ wouldn’t allow you to attack the helpless, so why are you killing them? What good are you doing them? _

“I am neither good nor evil,” he snarled. "I am not killing them, nor am I sending my fellow kin to attack them. I have yet to bring back a corpse from anything other than livestock. Contrary to the fairy tales, I choose _ not  _ to eat humans.“ Volga stepped closer to offer the blade back to its owner. "I am Volga, guardian of the Eldin Caves and Death Mountain, and alike the villagers, I too am a victim of an attack. I have no choice but to make sure that my kin are safe, so they in turn can keep those fools occupying the villages below in line.”

The hero strapped his blade back into place with a confused tilt of his head. The dragon was being attacked? 

_ How so? Attacking villages doesn’t sound like you’re keeping them safe. Who is attacking you? _

“A witch.” Volga’s features darkened as the words left his mouth, a foul taste on his tongue. "She seeks to start a war with my assistance. I have no interest in partaking in any war and declined her offer. She was no match for my army and retreated, but not before taking out our source of food. A poor tactic, but effective enough when it comes to having an army that relies on its strength in numbers. Ravenous reptiles are difficult to lead when they are starving.“ The knight dug underneath one of the straps around his chest plate, brandishing a silver ring with a large blue jewel. "I am also inclined to believe she was after this ring. Without it, there is no start to any war.”

Volga drew Link’s attention away from the cursed artifact by curling his claws around it tightly. "Its new home will soon be the pit of lava at the peak of Death Mountain. The fires are hot enough to expel whatever curse this ring holds.“ There’s a moment of pause before the knight folded his arms across his chest. "If there is nothing else you need, then leave my domain.”

_ Your people are still attacking villages! _ The hero signed, unsatisfied with the idea of leaving the caves with unfinished business.  _ You need to tell them to fall back and leave. The people are struggling prior to your forces coming in and invading their homes.  _ Link chose his next words carefully. He couldn’t risk starting a war of his own, especially in the middle of a cave that nearly killed him.  _ Perhaps if I talked with the princess, we could come to an agreement– _

“My allegiance cannot, and  _ will not _ be bought.” A low rumble worked its way out of Volga’s chest to make his point clear. "I protect nothing more and nothing less than my own kin and those who know their place. Your princess has nothing I desire. I have no quarrel with your army.  **_Leave._ ** ”

_ Not until I know that the people below your mountain are safe! They know their place, and is it not your duty to protect them?  _ Arguing with a force such as Volga was starting to wear him down; fighting him in a duel of arms would have been easier than this.  _ If this continues, then the Hyrulean army  _ will  _ be forced to step in. We do not want to go to war with you. _

The tension in the air was nearly suffocating. The hero wasn’t burning to the temperature in the caves, but the malicious glare the taller knight was giving him would have killed any lesser man in fear. He knew he couldn’t return to the castle with news that their neighboring villages were soon to be destroyed. He also knew Volga had no interest in fighting a war. Determination kept him in place as he mirrored Volga’s posture. 

After an eternity of silence than the faint sound of scratching echoing off the walls (were the Dinolfos back?), the dragon knight relented with a long exhale. If Link knew any better, he would’ve sworn it looked like smoke. "Very well. My kin will retreat. With the amount of livestock they have collected, perhaps we could survive until the next full moon. Our sources should be replenished by then.“

Link blinked a few times in disbelief to make sure he had understood him correctly. When the dragon relaxed his posture in defeat, the hero beamed. "As a show of good faith, we will call them back immediately." 

_ We? _

A garbled noise left the Hylian’s throat as a searing heat cut through the air near him. He was mostly unharmed thanks to the tunic, but it didn’t hide the absolute surprise in his eyes as a fully grown dragon now took place where the man he had clashed with had stood. This… this confirmed the stories. The dragon could take the tongue of man – it could also take on the form of one too! It towered over him as Link stood frozen in place, at a loss for words. It was a _ real  _ dragon!

He was pulled out of his thoughts as the reptile plucked him off his feet by the back of the tunic with its beak. There was no time to protest or scramble out of the caught clothing before they took flight out of the crystal caverns. Link braced himself and pulled his limbs as close to himself as he could as the dragon weaved between the tight tunnels. The wind and a few stray pebbles of stone lashed at his skin. The wave of blues and oranges that creeped on the ends of his vision soon turned dark, prompting Link to finally open his eyes. They were no longer inside the caves but now they were airborne in the night sky, soaring up the steep mountainside of Death Mountain. 

Volga must still hold some spite against him for having his ego challenged as the dragon held him closer and closer to the ground, threatening to scrape his body against the rock. Link would have to remember not to do that again. The pair reached the peak as quickly as they had taken flight. Volga released his grip on the hero’s clothing and dropped him unceremoniously on the flat rocks as he lowered himself down to the ground, slowly the flap of his large wings. Link stood up in a huff and glowered at the dragon. He looked awfully smug underneath his silver helmet as he turned to peer over the edge of the cliff to the villages below.

Link barely had time to brace himself before the ear-piercing screech shook the top of the mountaintop they occupied. Volga’s claws ripped through the earth underneath him as fire threatened to spill from his gaping maw. The roar was enough to silence the entire province, if not even the entirety of the world. He wasn’t sure when the sound had ended, ears left abuzz from the deafening cry. Volga had nudged him with the tip of his snout to bring his attention back over the mountainside. To his surprise, he saw flocks of shadowy figures scurrying back to the entrance of the Eldin Caves. 

A small laugh left his lips.  _ He did it.  _ The villages were spared, and he proved himself that he was capable of taking on an impossible mission. A smile splayed across his lips as he turned to look at Volga, finding him occupied with digging with the odd chain around the base of his neck. The glint of a certain blue jewel between the dragon’s teeth reminded him that this was their declaration at peace. The Hylian cautiously approached when he was acknowledged to come forward. He held his palm open, gifted with the honor of tossing the cursed artifact into the pit of magma behind them. 

With no time to second guess his options, Link tossed the ring into the bubbling lava, satisfied with the splash it made. The pool sizzled where the ring was thrown and exhausted a plume of purple smoke. Volga hissed lowly in approval; the fires indeed have exiled the curse of the ring, reducing it to metal. With some hesitation, Link warily placed the palm of his hand against the side of the dragon’s snout, nodding in a small thanks. The dragon snorted at the gesture, pulling away quickly before making quick work to pick the boy up again. If this was his way of saying “you’re welcome”, Link would have kept his appreciation to himself he thought as they made their way back down to the mountain.

At least this time, they weren’t flying.

* * *

“The villages haven’t seen any sign of any Lizalfos or Dinolfos for some time since you’ve returned,” the Sheikah commented, clapping the hero’s back. "Well done.“

Link frowned as he brushed the dirt off his face. It had taken him a full day’s journey to return to the castle from the caves, and he still looked less than polished with leaves in his hair and mud staining his red tunic. Good word had spread among the soldiers, their morale having gone through the roof knowing that the dragon was no threat.

Zelda nodded in agreement with Impa, but her smile died on her lips. Her expression hardened. "Please, go on. What is this about a witch?”

The hero sighed heavily. He brought his hands up to sign, but was interrupted by the familiar chime of his fairy.

“Let him rest! Surely he’s deserved it, no?”

Link gave a stiff nod before acknowledging the general. 

_ Next time, send a negotiator. Diplomacy isn’t my thing. _


	3. Song of the Spirit

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hooo boy finally this chapter is done because its been a pain in my ass
> 
> ty liz as always i love you so much for helping me whenever i need it!!!! you really are the biggest mvp

Another moon cycle had passed when Link found himself being called to the castle's chambers with orders to return to Death Mountain. To his surprise, General Impa had taken his word of advice and sent not only a negotiator, but a messenger as well, to gain intel on the witch — under the condition that the captain accompanied them to their destination in one piece. A day hadn't even fully passed before the captain ultimately made the decision to have his escorts return to base.

"Are you sure about this, captain? The general had made it clear that it was imperative that we—" the negotiating party was cut off by Link's mount abruptly turning to halt their own. His features were knit together tightly with a stern glare; he was not going to repeat himself again.

The two soldiers shared a quick look of doubt between themselves. As quickly as they had looked to each other, they were back on alert and gave their leader a salute. They turned their horses around to leave Link to continue on alone.

_ It's better without them, _ he assured himself.  _ They're safer at base. _ A reclusive dragon like Volga wouldn't take too kindly to more than just one stranger, let alone three in his dwellings.

Link had made it to the neighboring village before nightfall, just in time to gather any more information before heading up to the caves. He barely managed to stow away his horse into an unused stable before a crowd of people surrounded him, showering him with praise and gratitude for bringing peace to their little town. Link declined their gifts with a tentative smile; their allegiance to Hyrule was all that was needed.

True to his word, Volga's forces had not been seen prowling about in their streets. It was a relief to hear that he hadn't lied about his honor.

"You're going back up the mountain? Why The dragon might get angry! We aren’t prepared to face his wrath again!"

"It's been peaceful all this time, are you sure it's wise to do that, Mister Hero?"

He left them with their questions unanswered as he waved goodbye. It didn't take too long to reach the end of the village, coming to the base of the mountain. A cold shiver ran up his spine. He wasn't keen on taking another chance at getting lost in the caves again, but it was for the sake of protecting Hyrule.  _ Inhale, exhale.  _ He willed himself to relax as he made the short hike up the side of the mountain to the entrance of the Eldin Caves.

This time, he was prepared — and a little more experienced.

A wave of doubt creeped into his mind on how well this tunic really protected him from the fires and scorching heat inside, but he'd be playing a fool if he wandered into the dragon's lair without any protection again. He slipped the ruby red tunic on quickly over his head and turned the corner. He locked eyes with a pair of Dinolfos that guarded the entrance. Last he had remembered, they weren't Dinolfos but Lizalfos — and these two were  _ much _ larger than their counterparts.

The pair took a defensive stance with their weapons drawn as Link approached them cautiously, shrinking in on himself with hands up to present himself as harmless. The drakes kept their intense stare on the Hylian even as he began to sign to them. He hooked both of his index fingers together and turned his wrists, alternating their positions.  _ “Friend.”  _

The lizards didn't move.

Were they confused? Did they not know sign language? Suddenly Link became very unnerved by the situation he found himself in. The Dinolfos chattered among themselves, still keeping their weapons upright. If he couldn't communicate with them, how else would he get in? He promised Volga he wouldn't start or involve him in a war — and he wasn't going to start by killing the two Dinolfos over a miscommunication. He cleared his throat while still holding his nonthreatening posture, gaining the pair's twin predatory stares.

"V-V... _ Volga _ ."

His throat ached. Link's vocal chords weren't accustomed to much use beyond the bare minimum of simple gestures. He can't remember the last time he had even spoken a full sentence, much less anyone's name.

The two Dinolfos tilted their heads in sync. It was an eerie motion, even more so with their owlish blinking. This time they seemed to understand, lowering their weapons and shuffling apart to grant entry. Link let go of the breath he had unconsciously had been holding as he brushed past them with his hands still raised.

That was easy enough.

A sinking feeling pooled into the Hylian's stomach when he entered the cavern, immediately met with a very familiar river of lava. He mentally prayed to the goddesses that he wouldn't have to repeat the ordeal he went through in his last venture through the caves. This time, there were sounds of more activity: a Lizalfos scratching there, a Dinolfos roaring there. If he could see well enough against the bright shine of the fires, he would swear that even their shadows were dancing along the rock walls. It was comforting to know that he wasn't completely alone — however, the risks were still there.

He racked his brain for the easiest route back to the crystallized caves. There was no absolute guarantee that Volga would be back where he had last seen him, but it was worth a shot. The Hylian ducked into tight corners and behind any sizable boulders he could when a stray reptile came into his view. He made a mental note that he was going to have to bring materials with him to make a map at some point. The tunnels seemed to go on forever, opening up into separate rooms that Link knew for sure weren't there last time.

He was brought out of his train of thought when a haunting sound echoed off the tunnel walls, bringing him to turn his head to the direction of the sound. Clearly the goddesses were pitying him the second time around.

**æ d ɪ d ə m**

Link tore his gaze away from the Lizalfos he had been stalking to break into a sprint. Now, it wasn't a tune of deception leading to a premature death. No, this was a  _ lifeline.  _ He wasn't going to risk repeating his mistakes and getting lost, succumbing to the heat — he couldn't! He needed this intel for the sake of protecting Hyrule. An unknown enemy was a larger threat than the fiery blaze of the Eldin Caves.

**æ d ɪ n f ɪ n ɪ t ə m**

The melody became clearer and clearer with every hurried step he took down through the winding tunnels. The passageways also became tighter and tighter, but the song still hung through the air enough to pull him through the tightest of crawl spaces. He favored to ignore the alarmed screeches some of the Lizalfos he had run past to focus on the echoes. It sounded like an entire choir of voices.

**ɪ n m e m ɔ: r ɪə m**

**k ʌ n ʌ m**

He came to a screeching halt. The tunnel opened up into the largest cavern he had ever seen. Rather than dwelling in the favorable crystal blues, the entire mountain's source of lava seemed to pool here into a lake. There in the middle of what he could see over the edge he had found himself standing on was the familiar shine of a draconian helmet. The tall figure stilled, sensing the Hylian's presence.

The song was cut short.

"Come down, boy."

Link hesitated at the sound of the dragon's cool voice. He didn't realize he had begun to sweat until now, brushing his hand against his forehead. The aria still buzzed in his eardrums as he willed himself to move, but his legs remained frozen in place. Even though he knew that he was not in any danger of being eaten, he remembered what a formidable warrior Volga had proven himself to be. The sound of the other's weapon scratching along the volcanic floor almost made him jump out of his skin.

_"Now."_

Link did as he was told this time, adrenaline running through his veins to give him control over the rest of his limbs. As to not keep an impatient dragon waiting, he favored to jump off the edge of the cliff, breaking his fall into a roll. There was still some hesitation pulling at him as he brushed himself off, a poor attempt to look somewhat presentable as he stood at the dragon knight's side.

"Why have you come back? I've kept my end of the bargain," he snapped, keeping his eyes ahead into the bubbling magma. "As you might have even seen, my kin are within the boundaries of the mountain, away from villages Hylian and Goron alike. You have no reason to return here."

_ I'm here about the witch,  _ the Hylian signed, pulling himself away from Volga's side to step into his view.  _ Princess Zelda's orders. I need more intel. _

"Have your whelp look for that witch herself. I've told you everything I know about her. If that is all you've come for, consider your time wasted."

Link's stern expression cracked. He's come all this way for nothing? As if the goddesses couldn't be any crueler-

He snapped his fingers to pull Volga's attention back onto him. He wasn't going to let himself be dismissed so easily.  _ If you can't tell me any more about her, then at least help me prepare for her eventual arrival! _

"Have you forgotten that I have said my allegiance will not be bought? I refuse to serve for your arm-"

_ Not the army,  _ he interrupted with another snap of his fingers.  _ For me. _

Link's gaze fell to his feet as they shuffled, planting himself into the ground.

_ I'll admit... I was weak last time we met. I don't know much about being this hero everyone expects me to be, but,  _ he looked up to the knight, determination bright in his eyes,  _ I need to learn from a real warrior. If you won't do your part by fighting against this witch, show that you respect me by teaching me how to bring her down! _

Volga stared at the Hylian. He was a fool for venturing into his lair for a second time, prey to his song. However, there was a potential in him that he could sense had yet to be used; he surely was fiery enough to dare cross paths with him again. Maybe, just maybe, should he indulge the poor boy this once, he'd be left out of the sight of the Hyrulean army's sight to live his life without being in the crossfires of any human war.

A low growl rumbled out of Volga's throat. "Very well. I will teach you to fight. However," he warned, "I will not be the one to fight you." His clawed hand wrapped around the end of his spear to pull it from the ground. He turned away from the rivers of lava and motioned for Link to follow him.

* * *

Link blocked another heavy blow with his shield from one of the Dinolfos's sudden strikes. They were out in the cool night air, the sounds of a heated struggle mixed with clashing steel ringing up into the sky. Volga had resigned to seat himself off on the sidelines to observe how advanced the Hylian's swordsmanship skills were; from the looks of it, his skills were capped higher than that of any other unlucky member of the Hyrulean forces, but his strikes were still less than deadly. The knight dug through the pile of rocks he had brought along with them, crushing them in his gauntlets and dusting away the rubble for precious ores that laid within them.

A sharp cry left Link's throat as the Dinolfos chieftain's blunt sword struck his side. The chieftain took this time to push the Hylian back with a harsh shove with its armored gauntlet, nearly toppling him over the cliff side in success. The drake looked to its master for another order, allowing the Hylian to pull himself up in a position other than completely vulnerable.

Volga crushed another stone in his hand — ruby. "Again," he said flatly, waving them off to deposit the gem into a pile with the others. The Dinolfos growled and directed its attention back to Link, who was starting to show signs of exhaustion. He slowly pulled himself up to his feet and drew his white sword back into an attack stance, looking past the chieftain to glare at Volga.

He wasn't even _ watching.  _ It annoyed him that the only person who had any decent skill to advise him in his training was treating it like a chore. His eyes turned back to the drake in front of him, ignoring the feeling of his lungs burning to strike at it with a renewed energy laced in his battle cry.

The dragon's attention was piqued at the sound, followed by the sharp screech of steel meeting steel. Concealed eyes tore themselves away from the rubble in his claws to observe the sparring.  _ "No,"  _ he frowned, narrowing his eyes as he watched Link slowly beginning to overtake his kin, pushing the large reptile back with a shove of his shielded arm. Volga listened intently for the sound again, the pair now having gained his undivided attention.

Fire scorched through the air as the chieftain roared in the Hylian's direction, deflected by the shield. Link planted himself into the ground, counting the seconds before he knew the flames would die out to line himself for a counterattack. It came soon enough as he let out another fierce cry to strike at the Dinolfos.

_ Ah, _ there it is.

Volga stood briskly from his seat to deflect Link's sword from landing on his kin. The curve of his spear's blade was the only thing blocking his kin from a brutal attack. The Hylian and the chieftain both gave the dragon a puzzled look. He withdrew his weapon from Link's and turned to the Dinolfos, nodding his head in dismissal. The large reptile scrambled up in a hurry and retreated to the dwellings of the cave.

His cold stare then turned to Link who still held his expression of confusion. It didn't last long across his features as his brows furrowed together, opting to drop his sword and shield at his feet to sign furiously. 

_ What the hell was that, Volga? I was about to take him down, but you cut me o- _

"Why do you not use your voice?" he questioned, tone harsh. His clawed fingers wrapped around the base of Link's chin to keep him still. "If you wish to lead an army, you must have a voice to lead them with. Why aren't you using it?"

Link flinched at the barrage of questions with the stinging pain in his chin. He shook his head slowly, his expression falling sullen. His fingers curled anxiously as he willed himself to speak with his hands. 

_ I can't speak. It's always been that way. _

_ "Liar."  _ The knight released his grip on the Hylian's face as he looked to the moon. "You heroes are too proud to even allow yourselves the luxury of basic communication. Either mute, selectively mute, or otherwise," he glared. "Not everyone will give you the chance to speak with your hands as you so choose."

_ You've known the other heroes? _ he asked, eyes wide in wonder.  _ How does that work? _

"I might not have met them myself, but their stories are passed down through my bloodline as they are passed down to yours. Some of my ancestors have even had the pleasure of meeting them... either as friend or foe." He paused to read Link's incredulous expression. "Though, perhaps your silence isn't but a burden, but a gift — the hero's spirit seems to take upon a skill of music. One through the ocarina, one through a baton, another through a harp..." His eyes turned back to the crescent moon above them. 

"I know a gift from the gods when I see it. You're not blessed with only the Triforce..." A small grin pulled at the ends of his lips then. "You have the gift of song."

The Hylian didn't have much time to process or question what was said before he had been turned to face the moon above them. Volga pressed his hands on the hero's shoulders to keep him grounded in place. It was slightly — no, _ very _ — intimidating to feel him so close. 

"I want you to do as I say: relax, close your eyes, and breathe slowly. I will teach you how to use your voice."

There was no room to argue with the weight of the knight's gauntlets on his shoulders. Link inhaled through his nose sharply and did as he was instructed, eyes shut and shoulders as slack as he could manage it.

"You have much untapped potential that I can see," Volga murmured. "I am going to sing, and you will finish it; you know this song in the back of your mind, though it is not of any tongue you speak." His claws sunk into his tunic to keep the Hylian focused on him as he brought his lips to the Hylian's ear.

**Give you a raven's feather,**

**a pledge to our love;**

**Remember me, I'll come back —**

_ Remember me, you hold it in your hand... _

Link sang breathlessly, suddenly growing stiff in his shoulders. He braced his left wrist when it began to burn in an intense pain, stilling when the golden glow of the Triforce peeked through the leather.

_ Goddesses _ , he was right.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> song is translated from its original [german](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IH9J6zsRjGc), but i wont torture you guys yet with that nonsense...... yet >:^)


	4. Song of Magic

“Very good,” the dragon crooned with praise as he rewarded the Hylian with a firm squeeze on his shoulders.

The hero was reeling from the onslaught of new information. How was this possible? Was it really that obvious? Who else knew, or had known? Most importantly, why did it have to be  _ Volga _ of all people to show him this power he never had known?

Suddenly he felt dizzy and on the verge of emptying his stomach. It was a complete overload and he was nowhere near prepared for this rude awakening. He shuddered to swallow the bile in his throat that built up in his esophagus before turning to look at the taller man in absolute bewilderment. The captain tentatively brought his hands up to sign, but flinched at the scowl he was given.

“Mind your hands,  _ boy.” _ Link knew that this was the only warning he was going to get if he wanted to keep his hands attached to his body. With a wavering and quiet voice, he spoke.

“H.. H-How?  _ Why?” _

Volga shrugged without a care. “I may not know much…” he trailed off, studying Link’s face. Truly it was a pity that it had taken nearly twenty-odd years for the divine power within the Hylian to be tapped into and brought to light. He turned his eyes away from Link’s pitiful expression to look at the moon again as if the clear sky would provide the answer. "I only know that I would be doing my ancestors – and even as far as yours maybe – injustice if I were to leave you to your own devices without guidance. As I’ve said, even one of my own kind was a friend of the Hero.“

He turned his attention back to the smaller man who stood still with a forlorn expression, but his eyes still held some bit of hope. "Though you might not understand it, I will always stand by my code of honor that I dare not strike down those who are worthy of being called an equal when they are ill-equipped… You still have yet to reach your full potential. I would rather not label as ‘fate’ or 'destiny’ that our bloodlines have crossed paths again..” he trailed off again, furrowing his brow. "It’s mere coincidence.“

Link mirrored his expression as he crossed his arms. It was too early to tell whether or not what Volga prattled on about was the truth, and whether his trust could be placed on such a crafty man.

"I will help your cause –  _ your  _ cause. For the sake of the hero, not whatever pitiful army you so choose to align yourself with. Do I make myself clear?”

It’s still a lot of strange circumstances coming together at once for the Hylian to process. He was only sent here to gather more details on a threat that may never come. Now he was learning that despite all of his accomplishments and rank in the army, it was all coming undone. His stomach still churned at the thought of everything being all for naught. He felt defeated… but it also inspired him. The faint glimmer of determination came flooding back into his cool blue eyes as he nodded in agreement. The Hylian would be a disgrace to his ancestors if he refused, especially if Volga was willing to teach him more than just sharpening his combat skills.

“That’s fair, I suppose.”

“Then start by picking up after yourself, boy,” Volga said gruffly. "I refuse to pick up your toys that you so carelessly throw on the ground.“ Link blinked at the comment, eyes drifting down to where indeed he had left his sword and shield on the rocks. _ Oops. _ The other knight turned on his heel and made his trek back into the safety of the caves, spear still in hand, soon with Link in tow.

* * *

_ Stay out here.  _ The brash words replayed in Link’s head as he rocked on his heels. For whatever stupid reason, Link was not allowed in this certain part of the Eldin Caves. Whatever lay behind the heavy doors (and past the two Lizalfos chieftains on guard) must be a well kept secret. Maybe it was where Volga had kept his treasures? Dragons were known for their hoarding tendencies, aside from striking fear into those below them on the food chain, right? He figured it was more than likely an insensitive comment to make. Was it wrong to ask, or was it worse that he was already devising a plan to sneak in there? Unadulterated curiosity ate away at his thoughts; it was better than staring at the ceiling while waiting for the dragon knight to reappear.

The Lizalfos sensed his half-assed plan, or his unease with waiting for so long without an escort. Their intense stares bore into his soul. The Hylian tried to lighten the tension between them with the tiniest of waves… the drakes did not move.  _ Just about as friendly as their master _ . He drew his hand back down to his side in regret.

Volga emerged from the extended tunnel not long after the awkward exchange. Link visibly relaxed at the sight of him and wiped the sweat off his brow. It was still boiling inside of the caverns, so to put his entire collection of his hoard in the middle of the volcano was a wise move on the dragon’s part. 

The knight grabbed Link by his upper arm and ushered him away from the guarded door, met with very little protest. Anywhere was better than standing close to two reptiles who looked at him like he was their next meal in the center of the volcano. The Hylian toddled behind Volga as they made their way through the caverns, approaching even deeper into the crystal blue caves. It had opened up into more tunnels than the last time Link had been here. Clearly he was distracted as he nearly bumped straight into Volga who had come to an abrupt stop to relinquish his hold on the Hylian’s arm.

"Give me your earrings.”

“What?”

“Now.”

Volga stared down at the captain with the patience of a saint, waiting for him to do as he had been instructed. Link returned the star with an incredulous expression. Even though the blue bands had little worth to him, it was a strange request. He relented after a small pause and unclasped the jewelry from his ears, dropping the pair of blue rings into Volga’s open palm. The dragon moved his other hand to drop a different pair into Link’s smaller hand – red in color with pointed tips along the underside of its curve.

“These will also protect you from the heat. You no longer have to wear the Goron tunic here lest your general start to grow suspicious of your drastic wardrobe change.”

“I’m not a fan of magic, nor items based around it,” he confessed, clasping the fireshield earrings to replace his old piercings.

“Surely you jest, or else your goddesses  _ truly _ have blindly put their trust in a fool. What of the Triforce? Do you deny it by not calling it magic?”

The Hylian rolled his eyes and threw his arms out in frustration – this was the  _ last  _ place he was going to have his debate on how his beliefs related to magic. "I’m not here to argue, I’m here to learn!”

"And you will start by familiarizing yourself with items that go beyond being 'just this’ or 'just that’. You should develop the skill to adapt to any conflict you find yourself in, with or without magic items.” If Link rolled his eyes again, Volga would’ve squeezed them out of his skull with his dragon hand. "I’ve been more than generous enough to offer you items to shield you from the heat of Death Mountain that you  _ humans  _ are not accustomed to. I would suggest that you take that into consideration before I rip those piercings off your ears, boy. This is all for  _ your _ sake, not mine.“

Link bit his lip at the hollow threat and relaxed his posture. It was Volga’s turn to roll his eyes. He motioned for the Hylian to join him at his side as he ducked behind two of the largest crystal formations, digging into a withered chest that had been hidden in plain sight. Volga drew two large scrolls from the inside and rolled them out on the cave floor. 

"Tell me, how well-versed are you in sight-reading music?”


	5. Song of Communion

Volga was right when he had predicted that Link would have to adapt to any situation and learn to harness the power of magic. It took a few tries to point the flames that were bottled up within the fire rod in his hands, but in the heat of battle he learned to at least point it  _ away _ from himself. Their current mission in Faron Woods would end in failure if he had set the entire forest alight.

With word of a “small” horde of monsters headed to the castle and their previous squadron dwindling down to only a handful of men left to ward them off, Link and Impa joined in the fray alongside the last of their forces. They learned quickly that they weren’t the only ones fighting off the horde — a blue-haired spell caster had taken charge before they had arrived, simultaneously taking out wave after wave of Bulbins here and there while tending to the injured. The captain and general shared a doubtful glance between them; questions could wait. 

The morale improved among Hyrule’s soldiers with their leaders now fighting alongside them, and soon the incomprehensible number of enemies had dwindled down close to nothing. Link held the fire rod in his hands with a tight grip — it wasn’t as effective as his white sword, but it proved to be of some use. He made a mental note to thank Volga for the earrings later for sparing him the brutal fire magic that could have burned him, but quashed the thought to point the red sphere of the rod at the smiling stranger approaching him. Impa took her place behind him, staring at her through narrowed eyes.

“My name is Lana, and I’m here to help!” Her coy smile wavered as she looked to Link for a split second, unable to meet his eyes. "And to warn you about Cia.“

* * *

"Cia?" 

Zelda tilted her head inquisitively. She turned her gaze to her general and captain at her side for guidance, but they only offered a baffled shrug in response. The Sheikah was hesitant to bring Lana back to the castle, but to deny any information could cost them the war that lingered outside of their borders. Still, it didn’t stop her from taking any necessary precautions as the silence among them broke with the rattling of Lana’s bindings. It made it difficult for her to properly curtsy before the princess, but it didn’t seem to bother her.

"Yes, Cia! She’s a sorceress of tremendous power, but… she hasn’t made it here yet?” Purple eyes diverted from the trio’s judgmental stares to look skyward at the ceiling. She leaned her weight from one foot to the other, even going as far to do a little spin. "I wonder why that is?“

"The witch was pushed back by the dragon that resides in Death Mountain,” said Impa flatly. Her stare turned cold; Lana moved around too much.

Their prisoner spun back around to match Impa’s glare with a fearsome pout.  _ "Sorceress,” _ she corrected through clenched teeth, but soon relaxed with another smile. "It’s surprising! I thought he didn’t choose sides,” she mused out loud, eyes back up to the ceiling as she did another spin in her place. The soldiers kept her chains taut as they could — if she did another twirl, she surely would fall flat on her face.

“Volga still doesn’t choose to align himself with anyone!” Proxi interjected. The blue fairy flew away from Link’s side to draw Lana’s attention. "We are lucky that Link has come to an agreement with him!“

"An agreement?” The blue-haired girl blinked owlishly at the words — even she knew that the dragon knight wasn’t keen to take any sort of bribe, much less an  _ agreement _ . She finally turned to acknowledge the Hylian in question with a faint blush painting across her pale cheeks. "Oh no, this is all wrong…  _ So _ wrong!”

"What’s wrong? Hello?” Proxi moved to keep Lana’s attention on her. Lana was suddenly acting so frantic! The fairy opted to keep her distance and returned to the Hylian’s side, subtly noticing how Impa and Link’s hands were reaching for their weapons. Zelda, however, remained collected and tapped her manicured nails against the arm of her seat.

Lana sighed loudly, seemingly exhausted from the tension that hung in the air in the throne room. Her posture went back upright, eyes shining bright as ever. "Nevermind it!” She laughed heartily and brought her bound fists up to her chest. "Without my help, you guys are doomed!” She opened her palms to reveal nothing, but by some force unknown to any of them, the chains that held her wrists together came loose and dropped to her ankles.

A collective gasp was all she heard as she paid them no mind, stepping out of the pile of chains and kneeled down to reach for her oversized book that was unceremoniously dropped to the ground. She gave the soldier who had dropped it a small wink, even with the tip of his blade pointed between her eyes. Link took his place to shield the princess while Impa took charge of the escalating situation. 

“You conniving  _ witch!” _ she roared, raged laced with her words as she marched up to their prisoner. The fury in her eyes would have sent a thousand of her soldiers running back to their homes, but Lana was unphased, holding a hand out to halt her in her place. She paused as so ordered — if it were up to her, Impa would have mounted her head on a stick by now. However, the princess was still present.

“I don’t want to correct you for a _ third _ time, so remember: it’s  _ sorceress.  _ We don’t like being called —”

“We?” Zelda spoke up suddenly. She finally stood from her throne and motioned for Link to lower his guard. It was now his turn to look to her for reassurance, but lowered his blade with the guards following suit as the princess descended down the stairs. Still leery of Lana’s true intentions, her feet came to a stop behind Impa. "Who is ‘we’?“

"Oh-” Lana’s defensive stance crumbled. Flustered, she held the book to her chest tightly and dropped her gaze to the floor. "I… I didn’t want to have to say it so early, but Cia… Cia and I are from the same magical clan.” Zelda placed a gentle hand on Impa’s forearm to keep the Sheikah calm, having grown rigid with the idea that she  _ herself _ had let something malicious breach their defenses. Lana’s figure trembled, but she willed herself to meet Zelda’s eyes, pleading for a chance. "But I’m not like her! I want to help save Hyrule!”

“Can you tell us what her intentions are as to start a war?”

“No, but—”

“Then why bother helping at all?” Impa seethed. "If you cannot — or  _ will not _ — offer any more information than we know already, what good will you do for the kingdom of Hyrule?“

"That’s enough, General Impa.” The Sheikah turned behind to look at the princess, dumbfounded. Her expression fell from cold to turmoil, nervous with this idea that she knew Zelda was hatching. "Princess… Your Highness, you can’t be serious!“

"I am,” she nodded affirmatively, a smile spreading across her lips. "Though Cia’s intentions have not yet come to light, I truly believe that Lana has come this far to assist our forces to spare our kingdom from suffering at the hands of a war.” The royal broke the distance between them and placed her hands over Lana’s, giving them a reassuring squeeze. "You do not have to reveal everything at once, but I speak for the kingdom of Hyrule and say that we would gladly stand on your side in these uncertain times.”

Lana looked as if the weight of the world had fallen off her shoulders. She nodded enthusiastically despite the few tears rolling down over the curve of her cheeks. "Thank you, Princess Zelda! I… I could never thank you enough!” The two women then shared a laugh, bubbly and full of mirth.

The Hylian cautiously approached his commander who was still left in a state of shock over the princess’s ultimate decision. Impa refused to show that her pride had been hurt to anyone lesser, folding her arms across her chest to face Link. "I suppose we’d better get used to seeing her around when it comes to our discussions and the like from here on out.” Her voice was back to its flat tone. Link nodded in agreement, choosing to side with Impa’s distrust toward their newest ally. "Thank you, Link. If there’s nothing you’d wish to say, you and the other two men can join the rest of the troops for a moment’s rest.“

_ I’m starting to learn I don’t like politics either,  _ he signed meekly. 

The Sheikah scoffed. "You’ll settle in fast.” She patted him on the shoulder and waved him off. Link finally allowed his posture to relax when given the green light for dismissal, completely unaware of Lana’s fixed gaze on him as he exited the throne room.

* * *

"Fire rod?”

Link had taken another detour to the Eldin Caves on their next excursion outside of Hyrule’s province — needing time to clear his mind from the political side of war, he claimed — to reunite with his self-proclaimed ‘mentor’. Volga looked less than ecstatic at the sight of the bulky item. The Hylian still seemed proud of it, finally learning to master at least one element of magic on his otherwise empty belt of experience.

“Used it against an army of monsters off in Faron Woods.”

“In a forest of all places?” Volga scoffed. The boy was either brave or just plain stupid. "I’m appalled it still stands in its grandeur and not in a bed of ashes.“

"I’m only doing as  _ you _ had instructed,” he retorted, pointing the end of the rod in the dragon knight’s direction. "Getting used to magic and adapting to situations, remember? I made do with what I had!”

"I’m sure your general  _ thoroughly _ enjoyed the idea of her army’s pride and joy leaving his weapon in the barracks.” Now he was being insulted. Link frowned and, despite how tempting it was to let the rod swallow Volga in a wall of flames, he thrust the rod in a direction that wouldn’t harm anyone. The small burst of fire dissipated against the wall of rock.

The dragon clicked his tongue. "Pity.” He pulled Link in and cast the sad excuse for a magical item aside. Volga anchored him in place with his hands on the boy’s shoulders, bringing his head close to the Hylian’s ear. Link’s instincts told him to run but Volga kept him in a vice grip. It was too late to escape as the roaring sound of Volga’s throat releasing a jet stream of flames in the cavern filled his ears and nearly setting his scarf on fire. Reds and oranges and even blue caught his periphery, instantly running his blood cold despite the heat it radiated. In reality it was a short display, flames no longer burning in his ears when the dragon knight shut his mouth, but it felt like an eternity. 

Link changed his mind on thanking him for the earrings — he wouldn’t  _ dare _ feed the ego that bled into Volga’s voice.

"Come back when you have something worth sharing.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SADLY this chapter does not have as much volink in it compared to the others, but i have skipped around ahead and have some chapters already written and ready to go of the boys!!!
> 
> and i also didnt expect to actually have written out a story line that involved both cia and lana but........ it wouldnt make sense to have one without the other  
> (actually i didnt even expect to be writing an entire story line)


	6. Song of Communion (Redux)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SHOUTOUT TO LIZ PER USUAL BC I LOVE HER!!!!!!!
> 
> also [o magnum mysterium](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xPh-fXYAc4) finally makes its appearance since it literally kickstarted this whole au

A high-pitched ring of steel meeting steel sang through the crisp autumn air. Both Volga and Link's weapons were locked together as they tried to overtake one another. In the passing months that Link had come to visit and train under the dragon's watchful eye, this was the first time they had traded blows. The Dinolfos chieftain that the Hylian usually sparred with (under Volga's supervision) stood on the sidelines.

Volga withdrew his spear back, only to thrust it forward again to breach Link's defenses. Having gone through these exercises time and time again, Link had expected it to withdraw and drew his shield up to block the lance from grazing his exposed side. He's thankful for moving it when he did — the dragon's raw strength was far greater than he had imagined; aimed to kill, unlike the Dinolfos who only struck to subdue. The force of the blow sent a shot of pain up through the length of his forearm. He grit his teeth and took a step back, ending their exercise to brace his right arm. He'd _definitely_ feel that in the morning.

His partner lowered the spear and sent him an inquisitive look. Before a question could fill the space between them, Link brushed off any concerns he must've had with a dismissive wave.

"I'm fine! Let's continue."

Volga shrugged. If there's one thing he learned by mentoring him thus far, Link wasn’t like most people: where most people would have yielded and accepted their loss, Link recovered with a renewed strength and vigor. It was a commendable quality to possess. It also made him stubborn. _Too_ stubborn sometimes, but someone else could be unfortunate enough to teach him patience and to pick his battles. He'd leave that to the poor woman general back in the castle.

Their feet moved together in sync as they circled around each other on the cliff side, their steps carefully choreographed to keep their attention on each other's movements while still mindful of the crumbling rocks beneath their feet, and easily poised to either strike or block whoever dared to make the first move. Link desperately tried to ignore the bead of sweat running from the edge of his brow down over his cheek, but moved quickly to brush it away.

That was all the distraction Volga needed to suddenly lunge forward with his weight to strike. They fell into rhythm now: strike, step to the side, block, sweep, repeat. The dragon had drilled these movements into his brain. It took a lot of calculating than he was used to, thinking at least three steps ahead before the enemy while also keeping an eye for any openings or escape routes — this was only a friendly spar, but the danger of traps or ambushing parties was also something to keep a note on in the actual battlefield. General Impa would find it unorthodox and out of order by her methods, but it was far more engaging and befitting of a leader as grueling as Volga's system worked.

Link stumbled with a swipe of Volga's weapon nearly coming into contact with his ankle. He teetered off to the left, barely catching his footing on the edge of the cliff. Volga scoffed when the Hylian righted himself and poised his shield up, waiting for the next move.

"Scatterbrained today, aren't you?"

"No," he lied. His eyes averted away from Volga for only a second to see that the Dinolfos that lurked in the background was slowly stalking its way toward his unguarded flank. _Have to move away from the edge of the cliff,_ he thinks, _somehow catch Volga off balance, turn to keep both of the dragons in sight, overtake them —_

— there's movement in his periphery from Volga's direction. Suddenly he felt a shove, and felt himself falling. There wasn't much time to react to such brute force, and even less to grab any of the rocks to keep himself from falling further down the cliff side. Volga stood on the edge, spear still in hand, and was growing smaller and smaller with each passing second. He tensed with realization. _Stupid,_ he thought, _stupid to think he could have trusted him!_

His back slammed into _something._ It wasn't the ground, he knew that much. The impact still knocked the wind out of him, and before he knew it, he — _they_ — were scaling their way back up the mountainside. The Lizalfos chieftain that acted as his safety net didn't seem too thrilled with carrying him back up to his master, but Link thanked the three that they still were looking out for him. 

Link was less than graciously dropped back along the edge of the cliff. The Lizalfos and Dinolfos chattered among themselves and retreated back into the caverns now with their duties completed. Now it was just him and Volga, left with an air of tension.

"Didn't expect that, did you?" It wasn't a question. They both knew that much. Link ignored the hand offered to help him up and pushed himself off of the ground, dusting off his tunic and brushing dirt off of his face. 

"You could have killed me!"

"Not my intention," he scoffed, "but there are others who are more inclined to do so." He clapped Link's hurt shoulder for good measure, smirking inwardly with the grimace he was given. The Hylian could pout and whine all he wanted. It wouldn't stop Volga from relishing in the fact that he toned him down another notch. 

* * *

"Are you sure you don't need any more weapons?" Link asked. In reality, he was genuinely curious, but he couldn't pass up an opportunity to poke fun at the dragon. Volga grunted dismissively in response, shuffling out of Link's way as he allowed the boy to wander around in the room. 

Today must have been something _really_ special: not only was it the first time he had ever sparred with Volga, but this was also the first time Link was allowed in the center of the volcano — more importantly, it's where Volga kept his so-called "hoard". Maybe it was a tad naive of Link to assume Volga was the kind of dragon to collect all things that sparkled and shined, to have a room (or several) flush with treasures never before seen that piled to the top of the ceiling and threatened to spill over with its endless amount of secrets. The three chests that sat along the wall hardly looked like they harbored anything of worth. Blue eyes watched the dragon sift through one of the chests, and while it held a considerable amount of jewelry, it all looked extremely... tacky. 

What he was rifling around for, he didn't know. 

Link rolled his eyes and instead faced the walls of the cave. _This,_ he believed, was the _real_ treasure. Weapons upon weapons upon even more weapons lined the faces of the walls in an elegant and organized display. It was like being in a candy store! Not a single space was wasted, ranging from the smallest of daggers meant for tiny hands to the largest Goron-forged blades he had ever seen taking a place like a trophy. How _Volga_ of all people managed to acquire them (or sweet talk a Goron into giving up such impressive armaments) was a question for another day; he didn't want to be pushed out so quickly after being invited in for the first time by prying too much.

He toddled over to look at spears undoubtedly meant for the Zora. A careful fingertip ran over the curve of the trident. "Is your spear like that of the Zoras?" he asked innocently, eyeing the gleaming silver hilt of a Zora spear next to the trident.

"Just because we're no longer outside does not excuse you from your other exercises, boy," chided Volga from the other side of the room. "Run through it again — and _don't_ touch anything."

The Hylian swiveled his head to look at the dragon and object, finding that Volga's back was still turned to him. Alright, maybe he was a little predictable. Link pulled his hand away from the Zora weaponry with a huff and moved quietly to admire another set of miscellaneous weapons. 

_əʊ m æ g ʌ m_

A smile crept onto his lips as the words paired with his tenor rolled off his tongue so naturally. Though the translation of it was lost to him, such a simple activity like singing brought him an immense amount of joy, a sense of _freedom_ — even if it were in the middle of the volcano.

_m ɪ s t ə r aɪ ə m_

At least here in the caves, there was a sense of privacy that the castle could not provide — or as much privacy as he could get with the dragon or any of his kin within earshot. Better them than any of his comrades who would begin to question when and where he had found his voice.

Volga paused his rummaging to listen to how the notes reverberated off the decorated walls. Link took it as a good sign that he hadn't been interrupted by now and continued on, staying within arm's reach of the wall and running his fingertips along the rocks, trailing between the edges of many dangerous blades. 

_i: t ə d m ɪ r ə b aɪ l_

One sword caught his attention. It stuck out among the collection of other plain, familiar-looking swords that Volga had hung around it — swords he might have picked off from Hyrule's forces, no doubt. Its serrated blade nearly pricked his finger even with the most delicate touch. If its serrated edges weren't striking enough, the jewels encrusted from the center of the blade to the hilt and the four-pronged guard were enough to keep him interested. It was intimidating, but a beautiful blade.

Volga might not have been the kind of dragon drawn to every trinket that sparkled and shined, but Link was beginning to convince himself he might be that kind of person instead.

_s eɪ k r e m ə n —_

"Stop."

Link frowned. With a heavy sigh, he released the breath he had been holding to finish out the rest of the melody before he was so graciously interrupted. He tore his eyes away from the sword to face Volga who now stood in front of a closed chest, arms folded.

"What have I told you?"

The Hylian crossed his arms. "Don't touch anything—"

"Wrong." Volga paused and wrinkled his nose considering his words. "Perhaps I did also say that, but that is not what I refer to now." That earned him an eye roll from Link. "Need I remind you of the importance of the diaphragm?"

"Hylia, not this again!" groaned Link, throwing his hands up in the air. "It's always something with you, isn't it? Am I not good enough by your standards?"

"You're ever approaching it," he countered, "but you continue to move too much, and it carries in your voice despite how you choose not to believe it."

The dragon took three large strides to approach Link, planting his clawed hands on the captain's shoulders, adding an uncomfortable squeeze and pressure for an extra measure. Link grimaced again with the weight against his bad arm. 

"Like the core of your body, the diaphragm is a key component to—"

"'—to achieve a better quality of pitch, volume, and tone'," Link finished for him. It was obvious it wasn’t his first time hearing it before either. "'If your breathing is poor, it reflects in the singing', I know, I know."

"Then," Volga pressed his thumbs into the pressure points in Link's neck, "why do you continue to breathe so poorly?" His hands stayed locked in place as the Hylian crumpled in his hold, writhing and attempting to swat him away.

"Volga- _ow-_ stop—!!"

"You should start by releasing tension in your upper body."

The dragon loosened his grip for Link to stumble away from him, a smug grin upturning his lips with the ferocious look he was getting. Link rubbed the back of his neck in annoyance.

"You're such an ass."

"I could say the same about you." 

Link shot him another glare through narrowed eyes and now turned his back to the dragon. He hasn’t decided whether or not it was a good thing that Volga was capable of being just as immature.

“Where’d you get this?” Link asked and pointed to the sword, desperate to change the subject. "I could use a new blade."

“We haven’t finished our lesson, boy,” he said. Link braced himself for another painful squeeze to his arm as Volga pulled him back away from the display. Instead — with _gentle_ hands — he dropped a silver band encrusted with a round emerald cut into Link’s hesitant palm. It was far more elegant than the jewelry he had seen it mixed in with, more along the lines of what he had imagined Volga would be enamored with. 

Something in the back of his mind reminded him that this stone looked familiar.

"- song stone."

Link shook his head, breaking out of the stupor he didn't realize he was in by the stone glimmering against the light. "What?"

"It is a song stone," Volga repeated, having sensed Link's distracted mind. It definitely was an opulent accessory, if not the most dignified piece in Volga's hoard. But he wouldn't tell the boy that. "I think you are prepared to harness its power."

 _Another_ magical item. The Hylian knit his eyebrows together with some aversion. "Uh-huh." Even with the hesitance toward it, Link still slipped it onto each finger to find the perfect fit. It was a really pretty thing… The ring fit snugly around his middle finger, and almost looked to glow brighter as his hand moved around to catch the light. "And it can do what?"

"Amplify your gift, if the name was not obvious enough for you." Volga smirked from another one of Link's annoyed expressions and crossed his arms. "There are no limits on your vocal range with the power of the stone. After all, how else do you plan to command your army? Or perhaps even charm lost, weary travelers to their doom?"

The displeased expression on Link’s face quickly turned disheartened. "Volga, that's not funny."

"I am not trying to be funny. Jokes are another way of stringing up lies, and I do not care enough to lie." The dragon shrugged nonchalantly. "It is merely the reputation placed upon me, and if that is how they choose to acknowledge me, I have no interest in fixing it. If it keeps fools off of my mountain and out of my caves, so be it. If they choose to ignore it, I accept no responsibility for what may happen to them in my domain."

The words hung in the air for longer than it should. Link's eyes moved away from Volga's concealed ones to look back down to the ring. Even after all this time, the Hylian had never considered how he was one of the lucky ones — if not the _only_ one — to make it out of the Eldin Caves alive. He had fallen for Volga's magic, to one of many of his songs, and yet here he stood, now learning how to wield it for his own greater purpose. 

He had never considered those who lost their lives to it.

Volga cleared his throat. He despised the tension that lingered between them. 

"Rumor has it that the stone you hold was forged from the same emerald safeguarded by the Children of the Kokiri," he said softly. Link perked at that and looked to him again, interested. "Whether that rumor is true or not, I myself cannot say, but I would be inclined to agree that its magic could stem from their songs." Uncrossing his arms, he tapped the jewel chained to his own chest with a clawed finger. "This jewel of mine not only does this contain the magic of my birthright, but it, too, is also a song stone, forged by the Goron Ruby."

 _Ah,_ so that's what that was. Link stared at it and pulled his bottom lip between his teeth, idly turning the stone on his finger with his thumb. 

"Volga, I don't think I can—"

The faint echo of a Bulbin's horn traveled through the air, cutting Link off. That wasn't a sound he was used to hearing. The dragon perked at the sound, understanding its call. 

"I want you to have it," he assured, gently placing a hand on Link's pauldron. "I implore you to let go of whatever doubt you might have clouding your judgement. You've earned it. Come now, my friend!" His arm moved around to wrap around the other shoulder, pulling the Hylian even closer and ushering him out of the room. "The newest group of chieftains have returned with fresh kill, and the time to feast is now."

" _Wait—_ wait wait wait-" Link squabbled, planting his feet on the ground, "did you just call me your friend?"

The dragon paused. _Did he say that?_ His tongue ran along his teeth as his jaw shifted in thought, tasting the word in his mouth. _Friend._ All things considered, that was the best way to describe their relationship: more than strangers, more than acquaintances, neither enemies or allies _—_ at least until now. Volga nodded once as if to convince even himself. "Yes, I did. It seems only fitting to say so, does it not?"

"You could have at least started by using my name first. You've never called me 'Link'!"

"Don't push your luck, _boy_ ," Volga chuckled dryly and tightened his grip. "Do not tempt me into changing my mind. I would like to arrive at my own feast on time, and your chances of getting that blade you've been gawking at are slipping away."

* * *

"Brothers and sisters!" Volga silenced the group of his kin who growled among themselves by pounding the end of his spear against the cave floor. The sound nearly made Link jump out of his skin. "Tonight, we are gathered here not only to celebrate the autumnal equinox, putting aside our struggles and hardship of the last season, but to also forge a path to better our future. I thank you," he gestured to the troop of the smallest Lizalfos in the cavern, "for this bounty you have brought us. You have proven your strength and honor to rise to the occasion, to rise as chieftains, and to rise as leaders for the next generation of our kind.

As we move on with the coming season of change, we too, must change." He beckoned for the Hylian to move out from behind him. Reluctantly Link did so, stepping to Volga's left and coming in view of the band of lizard kin. "Most of you are familiar with this _human_ ," he said, purposefully careful with his tone when referring to the boy, "and know he is not a threat to our clan. With that said..." he passed his weapon over to Link's unsuspecting hands. This wasn't something Link as prepared for, severely underestimating the weight of the spear and nearly dropping it. He was a deer in headlights, now put as the center of attention, all of the reptiles’ eyes fixed on him.

"Tonight, we also forge our alliance with this boy. Though we are that of a neutral party, he is our friend, and, like the rest of you, my chieftains, he has risen to the occasion with the spirit of a dragon and will guide us forward for the greater good."

"But Massster!" A Dinolfos rose from its perch in a rush, eyes darting between the boy startled in his boots and its master, "you said we do not like humansss! We kill them!" It growled in opposition to the Hylian when his expression hardened. Sizing him up, it took a step forward when Link slightly shifted a foot backward. "Thisss one is small and weak! Easssy to kill!" 

"This one could kill you should I allow him to take another step toward you," Volga hissed, clasping his hand above Link's on the spear. "Move one more inch closer and he will become a threat to _you._ He will remain on this mountain longer than you if you continue with your insolence, and by Din’s name, I will leave you to bleed out myself. Learn your place, _hatchling_." His words dripped with poison. 

The Dinolfos held its vindictive stare for a moment longer before recoiling back to its perch with a sad growl. Volga snapped his head to the rest of the drakes with a frown. 

"Any more objections?" They sat in silence; his decree was loud and clear. The Hylian himself was just as shaken with Volga’s outburst, thankful that he wasn’t on the receiving end of it this time. "No? Very well." 

Link was left to hold the spear alone again as Volga moved forward to the slabs of meat scattered about on the stone table in front of them, ruthlessly pulling a Moblin flank apart by the bone from the lot of the carcasses. Having been so distracted with seeing almost the entirety of the lizard tribe in one place and nearly getting into a dispute with one of them, the Hylian had nearly forgotten that this was a feast for _them_ _—_ everything was _raw._

His stomach turned with the sickening squelch the meat had made when the dragon knight bit into it, blood and juices painting the edges of his mouth and dripping down his chin. _Hylia,_ why did he agree to do this?

Volga exhaled in bliss with the coppery taste of fresh meat on his tongue. A sense of accomplishment warmed his bones; this, he knew, was the right course of action to move forward for both his people and in Link's destiny. He swallowed his chunk of meat before turning back to the Hylian, expecting him to accept his offering. When he didn't, Volga snarled quietly; culture shock must have settled in and frightened the boy senseless. But why? It was only meat! A harmless, ritualistic offering!

A sideways glance showed the tribe of Lizalfos and Dinolfos stirring in their place, eager for their turn to devour their bounty. Being surrounded by predators….

To ease the boy’s anxieties, it seemed logical to appear less menacing in a cave full of dragons. Volga held the bleeding limb between his teeth, his hands moving toward the straps that held his helmet together. 

Link’s eyes widened; everything unexpected today snowballed into an avalanche all leading up to the dragon unmasking himself. His grip on the hilt of the pike made his knuckles turn white in anticipation. He was lucky enough to escape from Death Mountain more than once, but never pinned himself ever lucky enough to witness the dragon of the Eldin Caves _without_ his helmet.

The pointed chin strap clattered to the floor.

Oh goddesses.

_Oh Hylia._

A mess of ashen-colored hair spilled out from the edge of the helm and Link’s breath hitched in his throat. Again, it was naive to think that Volga was anything more than a monster after months and months of grueling combat practice and coaching his voice. Had it not been for the other’s tall height or the black markings that surrounded his _striking_ green eyes that now looked through him, the dragon could more than likely pass for a human. The Hylian stood frozen in place, the same cold rush he had felt the first time he had entered the caves and been mesmerized by the dragon’s song flooding his veins; this time, it was the dragon’s appearance that mystified him.

It wasn’t until the spear was taken from his hand that Link finally tore his eyes away from Volga’s. Now his hands were bloodied with the meat that held more significance than to serve only as a predator’s meal. Despite the voice of common sense screaming at him to not eat the raw meat, Link finally nodded in acceptance and bit into the flesh, pushing himself to ignore the blood dripping down his own chin this time. The chewy texture was awful and the taste was _worse,_ but he only had this one life.

Why not?

Volga, pleased with the acceptance of his offering, took a hold of Link’s wrist and held it high, turning them both to acknowledge the rest of the troop. The Lizalfos and Dinolfos sat at attention.

“For the glory of Din!”

The cavern came alive with a cacophony of the dragon tribe’s roars, fires burning bright.

* * *

The first few days after returning from the caves dragged on from the castle’s infirmary _—_ partaking in a draconian feast was fine, so long as the meat wasn’t _raw_ and _bleeding._ Healers pushed Link to drink one too many teaspoons of bitter-tasting yellow potion, easily unconvinced that whatever ailment plagued him was not “only a stomachache”. His stomach churned horrifically from the aftermath, but the reward outweighed the risk, all worth being accepted into an extraordinary clan.

A clan he couldn’t bear dragging them through a war that wasn’t their own to fight. 

Link eyed the Magical Sword from its place across from his bed. Its previous owner had already been unfortunate to cross paths with this Cia, this witch that was planning an uprising of unknown proportions _—_ she, in turn, was unfortunate enough to cross paths with the dragon that pushed her back into her place of hiding. Maybe, _just maybe,_ it was a good thing that she had run into him first.

How would things have been different if she didn’t? Link often wondered about the outcome more than he would care to admit. Would the war have been over by now? Would Hyrule be laid into ruin? Would he be able to keep the princess safe? 

His eyes fell down to his hand where his thumb had idly turned the stone around on its ring. 

Cia needed a general to start this war. If she had succeeded, would Volga have joined her?

“Captain!”

The sharp sound of knocking against his door jarred him out of his thoughts. The _hero_ _—_ now that he was back within the castle, he almost forgot he had a title to uphold _—_ moved to open the door. The messenger stood stiffly in a salute.

“The General wants you to ready your mount and prepare to move out before sunset, captain!”

Link nodded once and saluted him off, shutting the door once he could no longer hear the heavy footfalls from the corridor. It was already mid-afternoon. There wasn’t much time before twilight would be upon them. He turned back to look at the sword. Better to use it now than later. 

Without a second thought, he secured his newest weapon to his back and made his way out for the stables.

* * *

“Can we talk for a second, Link?”

Their newest addition to their party at least asked nicely. The hero paused his inspection of Epona’s hooves to look up at Lana, inviting her to continue on with her questions. Though she might have been allied with them for the last few months, Lana still remained an enigma to him: he wasn’t sure if she was hiding more than she let on since their first encounter, and more so with how much she knew about Cia. 

“I-I can see you’re really busy,” she stammered, already falling over her words. “But I just wanted to ask you something personal, if that’s alright?” 

It took every ounce of restraint to repress the urge to roll his eyes. Lana was a cute girl, _sure,_ but Link knew where this conversation would eventually lead up to. There was no time to play these kinds of games with allies who had more than just a _friendly_ interest in him, and even less with the sun slowly setting and sky turning into orange. 

But the company was nice, the presence of another person filling the space in the otherwise empty stable. Link turned back to his work and gave her one stiff nod. 

Lana relaxed almost immediately and smiled sheepishly. “I’ve noticed that you leave the castle grounds every chance you get whenever you’re granted the time,” she said quietly, planting herself on a wooden box near the other side of Epona to keep Link’s attention. “May I ask where you go?”

He didn't look at her as he shuffled from one of Epona’s legs to the next. His hand moved up where she can see, fingers and thumb pressed together. They move from the corner of his mouth to swipe over and touch his cheek. _Home._

Her smile faltered. Lana said nothing as she wiggled in her seat and grew visibly uncomfortable with his answer. Her feet kicked at the hay around the box. Some part of Link didn’t like this conversation at all, but he steered his thoughts into focus, now rummaging through his pack to make sure he had everything he needed _—_

“I know you don’t go home, Link.”

He snapped his head up to look at her. Yeah, now he _really_ didn’t like the direction this was going. He frowned when her eyes met his. 

“I know the village you hail from is in the west, but you head northeast. Please, be honest: where do you go?”

Was she _stalking_ him? That was enough. Link scoffed quietly and pushed himself off the stable floor with the pack in hand, haphazardly throwing it over Epona’s saddle. He wanted this conversation to be over with whether he was prepared or not for whatever mission he was being set on. As he stood, Lana stood with him and stepped closer.

“W-Wait! I don’t know where you go, but I just want you to be careful, Link! The last time you returned, you were sick for nearly a week!” The sorceress said in anguish. He ignored her in favor of looking for the reins for his horse. “I can sense a change in you every time you come back, and I’m not sure if _—_ ” she stopped herself when Link snaps to look at her with narrowed eyes. She steadied herself with a hand on Epona’s mane, fingers delicately brushing through her white mane. “I’m not sure if it’s dangerous yet. Cia is coming closer with each day, and I _—_ I can’t lose yo _—_ ”

“There you are, captain!” 

Lana backed off, retreating to her corner as Link both relaxed and tensed with his general now in the room. Their conversation was now at an official end with Impa wandering into the stables. He gave her a salute in greeting. She threw an arm over his shoulder and turned him away from Lana’s direction. At least they still held a common distrust over the sorceress.

“I apologize for this short-notice, but I need you to head into Faron Woods. Reports of more monsters have been flooding my desk, and some are trickling in with rumors of a sprouting Manhandla deep in the forest.” 

Link blinked up at her with an incredulous expression and suddenly noticed the lack of her own weapon on her person. Impa understood what questions he had written across his face and nodded affirmatively. “Yes, captain, you will lead a small brigade by yourself. It’s not your first mission alone, but I trust that you can command a group on a mission such as this.” She patted his arm and released him, moving to pass the reins on Epona to him. 

He wasn’t sure whether he liked the idea of being left to command a group of men yet without her guidance. On the other hand, it was nice to know that the Sheikah had seen enough growth in his skills to trust him with another mission. Soon enough, maybe, he would be the one to take charge and lead their men to victory. Without a second thought, Link accepted the reins and pulled Epona along out of the stables, sparing Lana one last sideways glance. Resigned in her corner, she gave him a small wave of goodbye.

Once outside in the glow of twilight, he climbed into his saddle. Some of his men _—_ two soldiers and one fellow captain _—_ were waiting for the order. Their general stood by Link’s side and saluted them off. “May the goddess Hylia smile on you all. And Link,” she said, placing a hand on his forearm, “bring my men home safely.”

The hero nodded to her with a lopsided smile and snapped the horse’s reins. With a loud neigh, Epona led them off into the settling dusk in the direction of Faron Woods.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im sorry for taking forever with this update.......... but its a long one
> 
> ty all for putting up with my shit and since most chapters from here on out are pre-written, there will be more updates that arent going to take three months to write :^)


	7. Song of Tragedy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **tw: for blood and someone missing some body parts >:^)**
> 
> also this is a lot sadder if u listen to [this](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_cKzlLkr7I) on repeat and it killed me then and still does today, so i highly recommend, 10/10

_Bring my men home safely…_

**.**

**.**

**.**

**.**

**.**

Volga’s head snapped upward with a vaguely familiar scent assaulting his nostrils. No, this wasn’t the smell of the impending storm headed toward the mountain. It permeated through the air like a dense cloud, filling his lungs to capacity and driving his instincts into overdrive.

_**Blood.** _

Was one of his kin wounded? Impossible. With a storm looming overhead he knew it would be unwise to send Lizalfos scouts out in search of food. So where was it coming from?

The dragon knew that his servants had also smelt it as the silent caves began to stir with a chorus of curious growling. A select few of the drakes tagged along with their master through the winding tunnels to find the source of the sickening smell outside of the entrance to the cavern.

The silhouette of a man stood at the mouth of the cave.

Volga waved the chieftains away to rush to the stranger’s side. The jeweled hilt of the Magical Sword — though bloodied — gave his identity away; Link looked so strange wearing anything else but his usual attire that appointed him as the legendary hero. The armor he wore — Hyrulean captain’s armor — made him look smaller than he actually was, but whatever mistook him for easy prey met a terrible demise with the amount of blood that splattered the silver steel red.

It was unlike the hero to quite _literally_ be shaking in his boots. He didn’t move a muscle as the dragon removed the tarnished helmet. Link’s eyes were hollow and sunken in, and his face was white as if he had seen a ghost. Trails of tears shed not long ago stained his cheeks as Volga drew closer. 

“Link… What happened?”

_It was dawn by the time the group continued on their journey to the forest. They had settled in a secluded clearing for the night; the promise of monsters lurking in the field after dusk was at an all-time high, and it was difficult to move one horse through the black of night, much less a group of four of them. Link donned traditional Hyrulean armor should they had the unfortunate meeting with any enemy captains on the way — better to not send the message that Hyrule was left defenseless without the hero at base._

_However, the hero noticed the air between him and his men changed. Something was wrong, and he couldn’t place a finger on it. His questions were waved off as nerves getting the better of him. They were fit enough to follow orders._

_By mid-morning, the two soldiers were complaining of an excruciating headache. The other captain eventually admitted to experiencing it as well, but suffered in silence to not jeopardize their progress. Link hoped that the apples from the night before played no part in their ailment, seeing as he himself felt fine. His men continued to assure him that they were capable of marching onward without any more interruptions. Link, unconvinced, weighed his options: either he sends his men back to base and disobey Impa’s orders, or have them persist through it until the end. With the edge of the woods so close…_

_Epona came to an abrupt stop when Link tugged on her reins. The sound of one soldier collapsing off his horse forced him to stop and turn around to look. He clutched his head and screamed in agony as the other soldier held his stomach. The second captain refused to show any evidence of weakness, though his shoulders trembled violently._

_What was going on?_

_Link dismounted from his saddle and sifted through one of his packs on Epona’s side to find a bottle —_ any _bottle — of potion. Concern and panic etched across his face as he struggled to concentrate. Why were they hurting so suddenly? What was causing them pain? Why them? Why was he not experiencing their pain?_

_What in Hylia’s name was going on?_

_He grabbed the small flask of red potion and hurried to the fallen soldier, turning him on his back. As he continued to scream, the soldier’s eyes opened and began to change color right before Link’s very own eyes, hazel irises washing away into an unnatural deep violet. Link remained in place, frozen in shock. His soldier’s cries of agony couldn’t drown out the sound of a sword being unsheathed, the sound of a horse’s hooves coming closer — the white gleam of his fellow captain’s blade reflecting off the sunlight drew his attention away. He looked up, the captain’s sword pointed at him —_

“Link?”

The dragon placed a heavy hand on the boy’s shoulder to urge him to focus. 

Link finally blinked, startled by the contact, and came out of his stupor. Frantically, he looked around and, having realized where he was, distress came across his face as he willed himself not to dissolve into tears again, _especially_ in front of Volga. He had worked so hard to prove himself capable of being accepted into the dragon’s clan, to bear the burden of being the legendary hero — it would be an insult to cry in front of the only person who had built him up so far to this point. However, he couldn’t bring himself to speak with his throat tightening and his breath quickening. Link pulled away from Volga’s hand and pushed the helmet of his own fellow captain into his clawed hands.

Volga didn’t have much of a choice and accepted the helmet. He frowned. The first thing he noticed was how uncharacteristically silent his friend was being. Usually he had acted as if the caves were his own home, filling the air with a million words of utter nonsense — but this, he realized, was not the usual friendly visit. He didn’t like this at all.

The dragon examined the helmet. Something was beginning to seep through the claws of his gauntlets and painting them a dark red. Volga turned the helmet in his hands and noticed the “blood” along the rim was still fresh. It smelled just as metallic as blood, but it was anything but natural — it _reeked_ of something he couldn’t describe.

Then, he noticed that the helmet had a good amount of weight to it. No, this was considerably heavier than Link’s helmet that he had taken off minutes prior. Volga’s frown deepened at the thought and assumed the worst. It _couldn’t_ be…

Claws tentatively lifted the visor for a closer look. He immediately dropped it when his worst suspicions had come to light, proven to be true. He didn’t care to look to see where the decapitated head of a Hyrulean captain had rolled off to, instead looking to see where Link had gone. 

The Hylian’s armor creaked as he bolted away from the entrance of the caves to vomit. Volga stood by and watched, cautiously approaching, but was met with an arm out to wordless tell him to keep away. The hero didn’t need any more of his dignity being taken away from being coddled as he emptied what was left in his stomach. Volga complied and stayed an arm’s length away.

It felt like an eternity passed before a clap of thunder rumbled over their heads. The storm was beginning to draw even closer and Link was in no condition to be thrown back out into the wilderness. Link scrubbed bile off the corner of his mouth as he looked to the dark clouds above, then at Volga curiously. The dragon nodded once and signaled for the boy to follow, unable to keep his eyes on the pitiful expression. He wouldn’t survive the trek down the mountain with the torrential rain on its way.

Once they were back inside, Link brushed past the dragon and collapsed onto the nearest boulder with a heavy thud. Volga followed suit and took to kneeling in front of his friend, his expression softening as he looked at him. Link was strong, but not unmovable by the wreckage of war. The dragon said nothing, giving Link the freedom to say what he needed at his own pace.

“I— I-It was…” his voice cracked with every syllable, his throat still aching from the abuse earlier. “It _wasn’t—_ ”

“Take as long as you need.”

Link couldn’t hold Volga’s gaze any longer, dipping his sight to the rocks underneath his feet. His armored shoulders began to shake as he processed what had transpired. It was supposed to be a simple scouting mission. Impa had trusted him. It wasn’t supposed to end in failure, much less…

Weakly, Link brought his head back up and held his hands up to sign. He couldn’t speak through his voice, and tears welled up in the corners of his eyes as he realized he couldn’t bring himself to formulate words with his hands as he had done for so many years before. Sensing his frustration, Volga took one of Link’s hands in his own, rubbing gentle circles into the back of his hand. Link’s walls threatened to crumble at that point, but with a shuddering breath, he took to spelling it out instead.

_T-r-a-i-t-o-r-s._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im glad that i had this sitting in my drafts for 654654153216353 months so pushing for another update was easier


	8. Song of Lamentation

The dragon consoled his friend for a few minutes after a vague explanation of what had happened — what started only as a simple scouting mission into the depths of the woods quickly turned disastrous with Link being attacked by his own men. They had disregarded his pleas for mercy and left him with no option but to defend himself, even if it led to bloodshed. Better it be the soldier fodder than the chosen hero of Hyrule. **  
**

Volga gave Link’s hand a gentle squeeze in sympathy, then rose to his feet and turned to leave him to grieve on his own. The Eldin Caves had many chambers to offer the privacy he needed.

After months of hearing nothing but the sound of bubbly laughter and beauty enraptured in song echoing off the rock walls, the thunder that boomed outside and the torrential downpour of rain could not drown out the cries of the hero, wailing in remorse for his fallen comrades. The sound was unpleasant and sent a cold chill through Volga’s bones.

There was no enchantment in a song of death.

* * *

The storm passed over hours later. Thunder became muted; raindrops that were once heavy slowed to an occasional drop; stars peeked out through the breaks of separating clouds; the smell of petrichor filled the caves. Link stripped out of the heavy Hyrulean armor on the way out of the caves to take his doom and gloom outside now that there was a wave of calm after the rain had settled. It wasn’t fair to disturb the tribe’s serenity within the caves — not that any of the younger Lizalfos that rested nearby seemed to mind, nestling closer together in a pile of limbs to conserve heat against the cooling autumn night.

Jealousy crept on him as he watched them. A sense of peace and security was all he craved at this moment.

The Hylian knew that there were natural springs at the base of the volcano near Goron territory; rumor had it that the volcanic waters had healing properties. It was a long shot, but if they could heal broken bones, maybe they could heal a broken heart? He was desperate and willing to try _anything._

Link carefully made the trek down the slippery mountainside, thanking his good luck as he approached the springs, finding it empty and away from any prying eyes. Shedding his shirt and slacks, Link slipped from the frigid mountain air into the heated waters, almost too fearful to allow himself the chance to relax. Blood that did not belong to him that stained and clung to his skin tinged the clear waters pink. He scrubbed his arms furiously to rid himself of the evidence of his weakness, to rid himself of his racing thoughts. Though the waters soothed his body, it couldn’t slow his mind.

Why go after his men? Why them?

_Why not him instead?_

A roar of thunder pulled him out of his thoughts. The storm clouds had moved on, looming over Hyrule Castle in the distance ominously. Even from this far away, Link could see the rain falling over his home as if the goddesses themselves were crying for the ones they have lost. Link sunk lower under the water’s surface as if he could hide his feelings from the shame and dishonor.

Volga watched him over the peak of the volcano in his true form. A hiss bubbled in his throat; he didn’t like seeing his friend like this, so unused to the idea of Link being anything _but_ lively. Whatever continued to plague the hero’s heart was also beginning to wear him down. He despised this feeling — empathy? Or _lack_ thereof? The dragon couldn’t wrap his mind around sharing the same feelings of grief for those who dared to oppose him, much less make an attempt on his life. 

Link did what he needed to do to survive. There was no shame in that. There was no need to wallow and grieve as long as he was still breathing and living. 

_Humans were too soft,_ he thought as his claws scaled down the cliff side when he noticed the hero wading out of the springs after what seemed like hours later. Judging by the position of the moon in the clearing sky, it was well past both of their bedtimes. 

Volga skulked through the back entrance of the caves, and by the time Link returned inside to find a chamber that was free of sleeping members of the tribe, the dragon had occupied the largest of them all.

Any clouding thoughts that Link might have had came to a blank at the sight of him. The last time he had seen Volga in this form was when they had forged an temporary alliance to stop a war from brewing between Hyrule and the tribes on the mountain. He had forgotten that there was a time before he considered Volga someone to be admired, someone he could call a friend. Volga, in his truest and most powerful form, was an _actual_ dragon; guardian of the Eldin Caves; keeper of Death Mountain and its inhabitants; an immovable force; a siren, and someone to be _feared._

He felt no fear as he stared into the dragon’s narrowing eyes. The dragon growled lowly, disliking the idea of being gawked at like some sideshow spectacle. With some reluctance, Volga adjusted one of his large wings to invite his friend closer. Link jumped when the silence broke with a throaty hiss from the dragon, prompting him to move when he didn’t move quickly enough.

Exhaustion washed over the hero almost instantly when he plopped himself down next to Volga with a weary sigh. The weight of his actions seemed to melt away as he finally willed himself to breathe, to finally relax. Link managed a small — albeit broken — smile when he noticed Volga continuing to watch him guardedly. 

“Thank you…”

The concept of providing comfort was foreign to Volga, but he quashed any hesitance he had for Link’s sake. A low purr rumbled out of his reptilian throat as his large form coiled inward almost protectively. The Hylian drifted off to sleep as quickly as he had relaxed into the warmth of the scales, too tired to protest being pinned against the dragon’s body. Emerald eyes stared into him, counting each slowing breath he took, chest rising and falling; he needed to be _absolutely_ sure that Link was truly at rest after all he had been subjected to. 

But _why_ did he care so suddenly? 

Why play into the role of a sympathizer? Death was natural. It was just as natural as taking any measures to survive. It was what any predator — any hero — would do if it meant survival.

_A legendary hero._

No, Link was no legend yet. The aftermath of this was evidence enough that he only partook in mild skirmishes, a handful of battles that have yet to truly bloom into an all-out war. Link was only a captain. Link was no true hero yet. Link was his friend.

**_Friend._ **

Volga’s skin began to crawl with the subtle itching that began in the back of his skull at the thought. The word alone tasted rotten in his mouth… but for only a moment. The dragon chose not to dwell on it, and, satisfied to find that Link was indeed asleep, Volga allowed himself to rest his own eyes, draping a leathery wing over their heads to shield themselves from the rest of the world.

* * *

It was early the next morning by the time Link groggily woke up from the longest day he felt like he had ever experienced — the first night in the barracks back at the castle couldn’t compare to how sore and exhausted he felt. The shock of having to strike down his own men continued to rattle him to the core, filling his veins with ice even as he stepped to where the helmet lay, discarded off to the side like trash. His hands trembled and his breath quickened; the blood had dried, but it still stunk of something _evil._

Link squeezed his eyes shut, gathering what courage he had left to look underneath the visor. _This was the nature of war. It was bound to happen sooner or later,_ he scolded himself. Tentatively his hands wrenched it open, only to close it within the same second. Tears pricked at the corner of his eyes; even after tiring himself, there were still tears left to shed. Link held the helmet closer to his chest and ignored how cold and empty it felt when he heard the large dragon rousing from his slumber behind him.

Volga shifted back down into his human form and stretched out his own aching limbs. It wasn't often that he had the gall to share his space with anyone, let alone someone much smaller than himself. He yawned loudly and pressed the heels of his hands into his eyes to rub away the sleep that lingered in his vision while he approached the Hylian, huddled over the helmet. 

_Still_ grieving? Volga’s relaxed expression twisted in disgust as he peered over Link’s quivering shoulder to look at the head in his hands. That captain was no longer a man who served beside his friend, the hero — the disposable captain was not only a traitor, but he was a _monster._ So why did Link continue to mourn?

“Get that wretched thing off my mountain.”

Link’s head snapped to the other man in horror upon hearing the venom dripping in his voice. His hurt expression hardened the longer he watched Volga act as if his own fellow soldier was nothing more than a piece of garbage. It wasn’t Volga’s place to decide where and how to dispose of the bodies of his men! A dozen thoughts ran through his mind: was there time for a funeral? Would he have to send his men home back in boxes? Who would notify the family? Should they be subjected to the grisly details? They deserved closure and had every right to know, but… His eyes fell back to the helmet in pity. 

“I won’t repeat myself again, Link.”

The Hylian stood up wordlessly. He wanted to argue to try to make Volga understand that there was a process that had to be followed, but the torture he had put his voice through the night before had left it hoarse. Volga probably wouldn’t care anyway, he thought, but someone had to.

He didn’t bother to spare the dragon a passing glance as he tucked the captain’s helmet under his arm and exited the Eldin Caves.

* * *

Naturally, Volga didn’t understand why humans had to have unnecessary ceremonies for _nearly_ everything: celebrations of life, another year of birth passing, meaningless holidays — and now, he learned, one for death. The dragon stalked his charge all the way back to where the alleged incident had happened outside of the edge of Faron Woods. True to his word, there were more than the single body of a traitor — at least another three from what he could see joined the headless one.

Volga didn’t doubt Link for a second. There was no reason for Link to lie to him.

However, it was absurd to devote this much time to grieve over monsters who wouldn’t do the same for him. The dragon watched in disinterest as his friend worked to collect the corpses together and removing their helmets. It must have been a nasty sight with another bout of guilt, he mused, watching Link’s figure begin to tremble again as he acknowledged his fallen comrades for the last time. He watched Link drop to his knees and begin to dig into the earth.

Volga wrinkled his nose in mild exasperation with how much time he realized had passed. Yesterday nearly an entire day was spent wallowing in pity in the caves, and now, another full day was wasted for the same reason. They reached their destination when the afternoon sun had reached its peak, but having watched Link stake their swords and helmets into the ground, burying his comrades in a shallow grave — something that Link could only offer now, though he thought his men deserved much more — the sun had slowly begun to descend, edges of twilight slowly beginning to creep on them. 

It was pointless. Futile!

Now he was _praying?_ Enough was enough.

“Have mercy on these souls who have been led astray from your light, and guide their souls to return to your ever-loving embrace—”

“Get up,” Volga snarled.

The Hylian paused at the sound of heavy footsteps padding toward him in the grass. He chose to ignore the presence behind him and continued his prayer, “Dearest Hylia, grant me the strength to forgive them, to forgive myself for failing them, and grant me the courage to overcome any struggle from this point onward. Lead my men back to the graces of your love, seated with you in the kingdom in the heavens in the sky.”

Link unclasped his hands, rising slowly from his knees in front of the makeshift tomb. He gave them one last heartfelt glance before turning his head to frown at the dragon. Volga scoffed.

“You’ve done enough — more than enough! You’ve mourned for these monsters for far too long.” His scowl deepened to match Link’s own expression, knowing full well that Link wasn’t going to shake from his stance. “You _humans_ should have already learned to accept the concept of life and death and to not linger too long on it. This fruitless ceremony offers nothing but more despair that you and your life cannot accommodate!”

“First of all, it’s called a _funeral_ ,” Link pouted, briskly pushing his way past Volga to continue this conversation anywhere other than in front of the freshly laid graves. He didn’t care whether his mentor chose to follow him or not; he made a beeline for the edge of the grove, rooting through the dense shrubbery. “Second, it’s not something pointless! It’s a final celebration of life for those who are no longer with us,” he paused, turning his head to look at Volga who stood a distance away. He swallowed a lump in his throat. “... Even if they are guilty of sins.” 

Link pretended to not hear the audible scoff from the dragon. He was busy with pulling out his abandoned pack that he had left well hidden in the shrubs. Epona and the other horses had run off back to Hylia knows where, but it was comforting to know that his luck hadn’t run out entirely. “I wouldn’t assume you would be the religious type, but all of this also solidifies a passageway into the afterlife.” 

“By burying them?” Volga questioned. He wrinkled his nose at the thought of any of his kind — or any lesser creature — digging up a corpse. A disgusting find, and even worse meal. “We burn our people. It is far more efficient that way.”

“We don’t always bury them,” Link said as he pulled the soiled shirt off, opting to change into his underclothes that came with his familiar green tunic. The mail could wait — a sense of comfort was priority. “As their captain, I made the elective decision to bury them since I can’t send their bodies back to their families… _if_ they had any. Usually it's the family who makes the decision of what to do with the body: burying them, cremating them, or otherwise.”

“Then why do you grieve for them? They’re disposable soldiers. They aren’t your family by blood.”

Link flinched. “Perhaps not… but they were my brothers in arms. Their family might not be able to grieve now… or ever. Someone has to do it.”

Realization struck through him; by far, this was the strangest conversation Link has ever had with Volga. He never did take into account how _different_ they actually were. Even if he hadn’t ventured out of the castle much, he knew that other races still held a similar perspective in paying respects to their dead — but the dragon tribes?

Tossing his pack over his shoulder, the hero moved back to join where Volga stood impatient. Link tilted his head up to look at him with his face pinched in turmoil. Tentatively he raised a gloved hand and pressed his palm delicately against the other’s chest plate. It saddened him to think that if what Volga said was true, there wasn’t a chance when Volga passes…

“When you die, who will mourn for you?”

The dragon seized Link’s wrist immediately as the question left his lips. His frown twisted into a snarl, the itching in the back of his skull returning with a fury. While he refused to admit that while the idea of his own death never crossed his mind, now wasn’t the appropriate time to begin worrying about it. “If we do not leave these woods while we are given the opportunity, you won’t live long enough to find out, _boy_.”

 _Cryptic as ever,_ Link thought. He pulled his hand free from Volga’s grip. The overgrowth of the Faron Woods could only provide so much shelter, and the rustling of trees and faint howls of Wolfos urged them to exit the forest — Link wasn’t fit, much less armed, to fight whatever lurked in the shadows, and Volga wasn’t about to fight for him.

The pair walked side by side back in the direction of the Eldin Province, but not before stopping to take one final look at the graves. Exhaustion settled on their limbs and minds; the tragedy of it all paired with the differences in their cultures admittedly brought them closer, opening a new door of perspective in how they saw the world. Neither would be the first to admit that something between them had changed.

Walking back in the growing autumn cold wasn’t the Hylian’s brightest idea. Link ducked his chin further into the folds of his blue scarf, giving Volga’s side a nudge to grab his attention and away from the mountain in the horizon.

“The royal family keeps their deceased in mausoleums.”

“Pardon?”

“They keep their loved ones in coffins and seal them in a giant tomb. Sometimes they can get as big as a house, if not bigger. They might even throw in some of their own personal possessions too.”

Volga snorted. “You humans truly are excessive.”

For the first time in nearly two days, the Hylian broke out into laughter; it was music to Volga’s ears.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry that i lied when i said updates were going to be easier, i didnt plan on having two close family members hospitalized within the same month (theyre recovering well!) so that kind of ruined my motivation in progress
> 
> but ive also been distracted by managing a discord server about a certain dragon..................... [join if u want](https://discord.gg/STKAMnS)


	9. Song of Awakening

“I _have_ to go back to the woods!”

“Absolutely not.”

They spent the better half of the morning bickering with each other: Link needed to complete his mission — the sole reason for leaving the castle — and Volga wouldn’t allow it. The dragon argued he was unconvinced that Link’s grief had fully passed for his fallen comrades; a wandering mind would only land him into more trouble if he wasn’t careful. Pinks and oranges of the early dawn bled into blue, and Link was growing impatient with Volga’s stubbornness. He folded his arms and stared the dragon down.

“I’m going back.”

“I won’t allow it.”

“I’m flattered that you think I need your protection, but I really don’t,” Link huffed. “If I don’t finish my tasks in Faron Woods, even you can’t protect me from the general’s wrath.”

“I would never keep you from your duties as the hero, but you are no hero yet,” Volga snapped. He rose from his seat with his spear in hand, drawing closer to take his turn to intimidate his smaller companion. “One Manhandla sapling is of no danger to you or your army — let it sprout. You are lying. There’s nothing in those woods for you except another death wish.” 

The Hylian refused to listen, bristling in his spot. “That’s where you’re wrong, Volga. There’s something else in there too, and after I kill the sapling, I’m going to find it.”

“Then I shall accompany you—”

“No!” Link put his foot down to interrupt Volga from spouting out another excuse or insult. “I can handle it alone from here. If I can’t do it, it only goes to show that maybe I’m not worth bearing the Triforce. I have to prove myself worthy.” 

Their eyes fell downward to Link’s gauntlet. Where Link might have considered the outcome of his last venture into the woods as cowardice, Volga saw it as means to survive. The Triforce was a sign of status; if this was how Link wanted to prove (to nobody but his goddesses) himself as worthy, Volga could allow it.

The spear in his grip slackened. With a grumble, he spoke. “Very well. If it puts your mind at ease, I will honor your decision.”

Link’s posture relaxed as his face broke into a sheepish smile. Maybe he’d win a lot of arguments from this point on if he used this excuse. He adjusted the holster holding his blade behind his back. “I’ll hold you to it; don’t think I forgot how you managed to sneak up on me last time.”

Volga turned away and grunted in response.

“Hey now,” the Hylian approached, placing a tentative hand on Volga’s arm, “I appreciate all you’ve done for me, but I also need supplies from the village below. As much as I like suffocating against your dragon body at night, I think I can manage a night of sleep with a decent bedroll!” Volga shot him a glare. Link smiled a bit wider, but his expression softened. “In all seriousness, thank you. You’re really a great friend.” 

Link gave the dragon’s limb a quick and gentle squeeze — a wordless promise to return when his mind was clear. 

* * *

The sun had yet to reach its highest point when the Hylian managed to enter the deepest part of the grove. The environment was serene, peaceful — a little _too_ quiet for his liking. There were dangerous creatures that lived in these woods, he knew, and to not even hear the song of a bird or the buzz of an insect’s wings through the air perturbed him. The only sounds that reached his ears were the leaves rustling against the breeze with the occasional sound of twigs and gravel being crushed under his boots. 

The wooden bridge that led to an old Hyrulean outpost creaked underneath his weight, threatening to give out from the lack of use. It was useful back when he and Impa had led their small brigade when they had first encountered Lana, but the lack of upkeep since those few months had left the fortress withered and decaying, succumbing to the depths of the forest. Even if it had been months ago, the magic that lived in this place left it looking as if it hadn’t been used in centuries. 

Careful to cross the bridge through the other side of the outpost and to another keep, Link found what he was looking for — _sort of._ A Manhandla sapling in bloom lay in the center of the clearing where sunlight could seep through the branches overhead. Upon closer inspection, Link found that the bud itself had been ripped cleanly out of the plant. He took his sword in hand and approached it even closer, leery of finding it in hiding. The tip of his blade poked and prodded and turned the leaves over to find any evidence of the carnivorous creature. 

From the looks of it, either someone had done his job for him, killing the Manhandla sprout — or someone was bold enough to pluck it while in its sapling stage and grow it elsewhere.

While he was no botanist, the Hylian knew that it had to come to either of those outcomes; Manhandla in its sprouting stages weren’t mobile yet at this size. His mouth fell into a puzzled frown. _Mission accomplished?_ As an added measure, Link staked the tip of the Magical Sword into the ground underneath where the Manhandla should have been, uprooting it from the earth. _It wouldn’t hurt to make sure there's no chance of another one growing in its place,_ he thought, covering his nose and mouth with the folds of his scarf as his heels dug into and tore the leaves of the plant, cautious of its toxic dust.

Now it was mission accomplished.

* * *

The doors to the fairy fountain deep were heavy as Link pushed them to open. Clearly they haven’t been used since Farore knows when, kudzu and overgrowth nearly sealing the doors shut. If it weren’t for his sense of direction leading him astray from the forest path, fear of getting lost in these mysterious woods, and the crumbling staircase leading him there, he would’ve never found it.

The air inside the fountain was.. _. different. _ It smelled wet, but held a crisp clean air about it as if unbothered by time outside of its doors, even with the scuffle with evil forces not so long ago. The Hylian tentatively stepped inside with sword in hand, half-expecting to be ambushed by something. Or  _ someone _ . He couldn’t shake the feeling of someone watching him as he moved to the middle of the room, watching for any shadows that moved behind the stained glass window on the fountain’s wall. When there was no promise of a threat, Link sheathed his weapon and approached the edge of the fountain. Despite the withered and crumbling rock around the edge, numerous flowers floated across the water as if they were freshly picked. 

_ Strange, _ he thought. Rumor had it that the Great Fairies often made themselves known to those of pure in mind and soul – something he would _definitely_ argue he possessed. His ears picked up the faintest echo of a woman laughing, but paid it no mind – whoever it was, she was too far away for him to consider her an immediate threat. Delicately Link splashed his hand in the water, pulling some of the flowers toward his direction. The tips of his fingers barely grazed its petals before the water in the fountain began bubbling. 

_ Uh oh. _

Link staggered backwards as a torrential wave of water erupted from the shallow water of the fountain. An infectious and jovial laugh assaulted his ears and a large shadow obscured the streaks of sunlight that poured the window. He felt dazed for only a moment, clothing soaking wet from the eruption and the water that dripped from the ceiling before he lay witness to a rather _ giant  _ woman now in front of him. She studied him with a sultry eye and hummed pleasantly.

“O, hero of Hyrule,” she cooed, beckoning him with a manicured finger, “come into my fountain! Don’t be shy.”

His face flushed in embarrassment with the sudden realization that this was  _ the _ Great Fairy. He never expected her to be not only outrageously “tall”, but voluptuous and seductive; the stories he had heard from merchants who had set up shop outside of the castle walls about the fairies did her no justice. Link pushed himself up and brushed off any rubble (he had to look at least somewhat decent in front of a lady) and obeyed, stepping over the edge of the fountain into its cool waters. Immediately whatever worry that lingered in his body seemed to wash away much more effectively than the springs on Death Mountain.

“What brings you here, my hero?” The Great Fairy invited him to sit closer to her. Link inched over and brought his hands up to sign. She leaned forward and delicately pushed his hands down. “There’s no need for that,” she winked. “I know what gifts the goddesses have bestowed upon you, and your secret is safe with me.”

He opened his mouth to argue, but quickly quashed it. _ Inhale, exhale. _ “How do you know about it?”

“Oh, my love,” she laughed cheerfully, “I know many things. I might be the closest thing to Hylia herself! It’s a wonder that people pray and come to me for guidance.” The Fairy stretched out on her stomach, hovering only inches above the water and giving her undivided attention to her guest. “I know that the guardian of Eldin is the one to have awakened your divine gift, and that he is keeping a close eye on you as your mentor. I can only hope that he continues to treat you well.”

Link sighed wearily at the mention of his friend — Volga would have easily objected to coming into any fairy fountain. “He does… in his own way.” A pause. “Do you know anything more about him?”

The Great Fairy chuckled softly. “That I am not inclined to say, dear hero.” Link then decided she knew more than she was letting on if she knew that they were friends in the first place. “You’ve come to seek me for guidance, have you not?” she asked, changing the subject. “How may I be of service?”

“Do you know anything about the witch, Cia? And Lana? What are their goals? What can I expect?” The Great Fairy cupped her hand under the water to slowly pour it over his head, sensing his unease. Nervously, he rubbed the back of his neck, shivering with the feeling of the cool water trickling down his collar as it alleviated his nerves slightly to prepare him for any life-changing revelations. “Do you think I’m prepared enough to take the role of the legendary hero?”

“My love,” she began, “I offer guidance and assistance, not opinions or visions of the future. I cannot tell you exactly what you must do to fully prepare yourself for the coming battle. I will be here to assist you when you need me the most in your most dire hour. What the goddesses have intended for you is out of my control. Your fate is in their hands.”

Link feared for the worst, expression growing downcast with the answers he was given. “However,” she interrupted, “I can tell you that it is more than admirable that you have come so far in your ordeals. You make a fine hero as you are now. I have no doubt that you will do only the best for Hyrule… even if you are grounded on his mountain.” She winked, her pink lips spreading into a sincere smile. Link could only smile back feeling how infectious hers was. 

“Thank you.”

“Always a pleasure,” she purred, reaching out to affectionately prod his cheek. The Great Fairy then rolled onto her back, dramatically throwing an arm over her face. “You must go now if there’s nothing more I can do to assist you, as much as I’d  _ love  _ to keep you here for myself. Your soul is bound to another, after all.”

Link felt his cheeks burn with the thought that the Great Fairy –  _ the _ Great Fairy! – had found him appealing, but shook those thoughts out of his mind. Of course, legend always had found the hero bound to the princess. At least, it always presented itself that way. It wasn’t a destiny he would have personally chosen for himself, as he hasn’t had much interaction with Princess Zelda in the first place, but if the goddesses dictated it, so be it. As long as he served for Hyrule, he would serve for her. He stood silently and stepped out of the fountain with that in mind. 

“You will find your other half in the most unlikely of times, my love — in fact, you might have found it already!” she exclaimed suddenly when Link neared the entrance. He blinked and turned to look at her to ask what she meant, but she cut him off. “Please, do not hesitate to come see me again. It gets  _ awfully _ lonely here.”

The Great Fairy made her exit with a dive and a splash into the short pool of water, laughing all the while. Link turned away to save himself from getting drenched again, finding that the woman was indeed gone, nothing but freshly picked flowers and a few silent fairies fluttering over the water’s edge in her wake.

* * *

“Massster! Human isss back! He bringsss thingsss!”

Volga turned away from the ores he had been attending to when the sound of the younger Lizalfos scouts pattering after their chieftain echoed off the rock walls. Their arms were filled with items that _definitely_ had no place in his caves. He grumbled at the sight; Link might have been simple at first glance, but the items he had gathered in excess proved that he was going to be a pain in Volga’s side.

“Where is he now?”

“Bottom of mountain! Climbing ssslowly!”

“He may be a friend to our clan, but he will not treat you like his dogs,” he scowled, gesturing for them to drop whatever items Link had pushed onto them to the side. The scouts obeyed without a second wasted while their chieftain apprehensively drew to Volga’s side. 

“He asssk nicely. We help.”

“The boy is more capable of carrying his own rubbish up the mountain.” Volga’s frown remained. The chieftain stood patiently for any more orders. The dragon released a drawn out sigh and waved his kin away. “You have my leave to go. I will take care of the rest.”

With the clear dismissal, the chieftain scurried off further into the chambers of the caves, leaving Volga with his hoard of ores — and Link’s hoard of belongings. The dragon turned to the discarded items with a look of disgust. He left his own pile to sift through Link’s things; what on earth could he _possibly_ need? Underneath the pile of clothes including his green tunic, there were a number of small bottles of potions, larger flasks of fragrant soups and broth, a few rupees here and there, a mirror — useless, _useless_ things!

“What are you doing?”

Volga turned back to the entrance of the cavern. Link stood there with an incredulous expression having caught the dragon red-handed going through his things. He looked so different outside of his uniforms, clad only in a longer sleeved shirt that made him look like someone he wasn’t: someone lost; someone vulnerable; someone who shouldn’t be within his domain. Volga carelessly tossed the small mirror back into the pile. “You’re able to handle yourself, so why, I wonder, you use my kin to transport your rubbish up the mountain, I’m curious. Clearly it wasn’t worth the time.”

Link’s mouth formed a small frown. “If I’m offered help, I’m not gonna turn it down.” He pushed the sleeves up of his shirt up to his elbows and pushed through Volga to tend to the bottles. As callous as they were treated, none of them were broken. “I could have brought more, you know.”

“Essentials, I understand and commend you for. The mirror, however, is excessive.”

“Old habits die hard,” said the Hylian with a small hum in his voice. “I like mirrors. Appearances are important to keep up within the castle walls: I can’t act my part as a captain if I don’t look like one.” Carefully he picked up the round mirror and looked himself over in it. He couldn’t bring himself to look for too long; his hair was in disarray and dark circles began to form around his eyes from lack of proper sleep or rest; the exact _opposite_ image of a hero. 

“If you have the strength to uphold your title, appearances mean nothing. As battered and broken as you look now, I’m well aware of what you are capable of.” The dragon strode back over to his own belongings, taking one long glance at the ores in their respective pails. He had more than enough to trade. “It’s well into the evening. You need to rest.”

Link nodded in agreement. “I also told you I’d bring my own bedroll. The caves are a little warm for me, and it’s not too cold out—”

“Sleeping outside?” Volga asked. “To leave yourself exposed? I think not.”

“You’re free to follow if you want, but I’ve already made up my mind,” Link announced, pulling his scarf tighter around his neck and tucking his bundle underneath his arm as he made his way back outside. The rest of his belongings wouldn’t move anywhere. It took a good amount of restraint not to laugh when he heard Volga’s heavy footsteps following him a few paces away, but that didn’t stop him from smiling at his companion when he found a decent spot to settle down. “I take it you’ve never slept outside of the caves?”

“Why would I?” he bit back, crossing his arms over his chest to brave himself from the gentle breeze tickling his cheek. The temperature wasn’t at its lowest yet; Link really was a fool if he thought only a blanket and scarf were enough. “They offer all the protection you could need.”

“That’s true, but only if you’re either a dragon or have the means to survive in the heat.” Even with the fireshield earrings, the caves provided a little too much warmth. Waking up feeling uncomfortably sticky from sweat wasn’t necessarily pleasant. “I’ve never thanked you properly for the earrings before, but you nearly burned my ear off when I had the chance. So thanks for that, too.” Link’s face twisted into a pout at the memory, but it didn’t stop him from patting the grass next to him to invite the dragon closer. “At least here outside you can see the sky.”

“And that leaves you exposed to the elements, too, boy,” Volga said with a tone that clearly painted him as annoyed. Regardless, Link took satisfaction when the dragon made an effort to humor him by taking the spot next to him at least an arm’s length away. The dragon removed his helmet and held it to his chest as he laid down. It felt _strange_ being so close to home, yet so far away, left vulnerable to the bitter cold that crept underneath every crevice of his armor. A puff of smoke left his lips to try and regulate his body temperature. The sound of Link shuffling around in his bedroll couldn’t drown out his amusement. “Is there something you find funny?”

“No.” Though the scarf around his neck concealed most of the Hylian’s face, it was obvious that he was lying. Volga held his stare, but turned away when it was clear that Link wasn’t going to budge. This was stupid. He couldn’t fathom _why_ he continued to play in Link’s games, but he never had also expected to take him under his wing. It was like an itch he couldn’t scratch, but keeping Link so close seemed to soothe it, and, despite the immaturity he displayed more often than he should, the Hylian was slowly fitting into his hero role. That enough was satisfactory. 

“Have you ever been to the village below?”

Volga’s eyes remained closed. “No. I have no interest in mingling among those beneath me.”

“Do you even have friends?” Link propped himself up on his arms. “And before you say your scouts or chieftains, they don’t count. I mean anyone outside your tribe.”

“I have you,” Volga said, “but sometimes I wonder if I’ve made a poor choice in keeping you as a friend.” He tilted his head and cracked an eye open, knowing full well that his comment would strike a nerve. In a huff, Link turned over and pulled the covers up to his ears. It was Volga’s turn to laugh quietly. “I have you, and I have ties with the Goron Patriarch. I wouldn’t have as grand of a collection without him.”

“Alright, I’ll give you that one.” Link turned onto his back. “It wouldn’t hurt to expand your horizons. I heard that merchants are supposed to stop by and trade in the village tomorrow.”

“I’d rather not. They have nothing I could possibly want.”

“Now you’re just being a killjoy, Volga.” Link chided with a yawn. “How old are you, anyway?”

“Enough.”

“Oh, come on—”

“No,” he interrupted, “I mean to say _‘I’m old enough’._ I doubt you would believe me should I reveal my _true_ age to you, which is why _‘enough’_ should be a sufficient answer.” Volga let the words hang in the air for a moment for Link to absorb it, followed by, “You should be resting, boy, not spewing whatever thoughts are bouncing around in your mind with answers you can’t comprehend. With your duties to your army fulfilled, we resume ours in the morning.”

“One more question?” Before being given the chance to be shot down, the Hylian asked, “What’s your favorite color?”

The dragon remained silent. Of all things, _that’s_ what he wanted to know? Whether it was out there to annoy him, or purely out of innocence, Volga didn’t know — and didn’t know how to answer it himself. As a dragon, instinct had told him to curb the favoritism to ward off those with prying eyes, as thieves were around every bend to steal whatever he coveted most. As for favorites, he realized then he didn’t have many — a favorite weapon? A favorite meal? A favorite song? — much less narrowed down to a specific color. He lived in a world painted in reds and oranges and yellows and greens with splashes of golds and silvers and a bioluminescent blue, but none of it appealed to him. 

Volga craned his neck to look back at Link, unsure of how to answer and unsure of how Link would react, only to find that either he had taken too much time mulling over his response, or the Hylian was more exhausted than they had initially thought. Link had succumbed to the fierce grip of sleep. Under the covers of his bedroll, Volga could see Link’s chest rising and falling, his breaths light and evenly spaced; finally at peace. Without the expanse of the ocean staring back at him waiting expectantly for an answer, clarity had struck through Volga, and he knew his answer. The words poured out just above a whisper:

“I’m fond of the color blue.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i have no excuses as to why it took me two months to update but uhhhhh lets say im addicted to among us, and an among us au lives rent-free in my head
> 
> [join my discord!](https://discord.gg/STKAMnS)


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